In August 2009 compared with July 2009, the euro area (EA16) industrial new orders index rose by 2.0%. In July the index increased by 3.0%. In the EU271 new orders grew by 1.2% in August 2009, after an increase of 1.6% in July. Excluding ships, railway & aerospace equipment, for which changes tend to be more volatile, industrial new orders rose by 2.4% in the euro area and by 2.0% in the EU27.

In August 2009 compared with August 2008, industrial new orders decreased by 23.1% in the euro area and by 22.3% in the EU27. Total industry excluding ships, railway & aerospace equipment dropped by 22.7% in the euro area and by 22.2% in the EU27.

Monthly changes

In August 2009 compared with July 2009, new orders for intermediate goods increased by 3.8% in the euro area and by 0.5% in the EU27. Capital goods fell by 0.3% in the euro area, but grew by 2.1% in the EU27. Durable consumer goods dropped by 1.6% in the euro area and by 0.4% in the EU27. Non-durable consumer goods decreased by 2.5% and 1.5% respectively.

Among the Member States for which data are available, total manufacturing working on orders rose in seven, fell in thirteen and remained stable in the Netherlands. The highest increases were registered in Slovakia (+11.8%), the Czech Republic (+3.2%) and France (+3.0%), and the largest decreases in Ireland (-14.6%), Poland (-10.6%) and Italy (-6.4%).

Annual changes

In August 2009 compared with August 2008, new orders for non-durable consumer goods fell by 7.7% in the euro area and by 4.9% in the EU27. Durable consumer goods declined by 18.5% and 10.5% respectively. Intermediate goods dropped by 25.3% in the euro area and by 24.8% in the EU27. Capital goods decreased by 25.7% and 25.3% respectively.

Total manufacturing working on orders fell in all Member States for which data are available. The largest falls were registered in Lithuania (-42.3%), Finland (-37.3%) and Estonia (-37.1%), and the smallest in Slovakia (-6.3%), France (-12.0%) and the Czech Republic (-13.6%).