In April 2011 compared with March 2011, the euro area (EA17) industrial new orders index rose by 0.7%. In March the index fell by 1.5%. In the EU27, new orders increased by 0.2% in April 2011, after a drop of 1.7% in March. Excluding ships, railway & aerospace equipment, for which changes tend to be more volatile, industrial new orders decreased by 0.6% in both zones.

In April 2011 compared with April 2010, industrial new orders grew by 8.6% in the euro area and by 6.9% in the EU27. Total industry excluding ships, railway & aerospace equipment rose by 7.3% and 6.0% respectively.

Monthly comparison

In April 2011 compared with March 2011, new orders for non-durable consumer goods rose by 4.0% in the euro area and by 1.7% in the EU27. Durable consumer goods increased by 2.6% in the euro area, but decreased by 2.2% in the EU27. Capital goods gained 1.7% and 0.4% respectively. Intermediate goods fell by 0.1% in the euro area and rose by 0.1% in the EU27.

Among the Member States for which data are available, total manufacturing working on orders rose in nine and fell in thirteen. The highest increases were registered in Ireland (+11.2%), Finland (+7.1%) and Romania (+6.6%), and the largest decreases in Hungary (-9.6%), Latvia (-7.8%) and Bulgaria (-6.7%).

Annual comparison

In April 2011 compared with April 2010, new orders for capital goods rose by 12.0% in the euro area and by 10.2% in the EU27. Intermediate goods increased by 8.0% and 6.9% respectively. Non-durable consumer goods gained 1.9% in the euro area and fell by 0.1% in the EU27. Durable consumer goods decreased by 1.8% and 13.2% respectively.

Among the Member States for which data are available, total manufacturing working on orders rose in eighteen and fell in four. The highest increases were registered in Estonia (+53.2%), Finland (+28.8%), Lithuania (+21.1%) and Bulgaria (+17.7%), and the decreases in the United Kingdom (-2.8%), Denmark (-2.5%), Poland (-2.4%) and Hungary (-2.0%).