In August 2010 compared with July 2010, the euro area (EA16) industrial new orders index rose by 5.3%. In July the index fell by 1.8%. In the EU27, new orders increased by 3.6% in August 2010, after a decline of 1.6% in July. Excluding ships, railway & aerospace equipment, for which changes tend to be more volatile, industrial new orders rose by 4.1% in the euro area and by 3.3% in the EU27.

In August 2010 compared with August 2009, industrial new orders grew by 24.4% in the euro area and by 22.6% in the EU27. Total industry excluding ships, railway & aerospace equipment rose by 23.5% and 23.0% respectively.

These estimates are released by Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union.

Monthly changes

In August 2010 compared with July 2010, new orders for capital goods rose by 8.1% in the euro area and by 6.0% in the EU27. Durable consumer goods increased by 5.4% and 2.1% respectively. Intermediate goods rose by 3.4% in the euro area and by 2.5% in the EU27. Non-durable consumer goods gained 0.7% and 0.4% respectively.

Among the Member States for which data are available, total manufacturing working on orders rose in eleven and fell in eleven. The highest increases were registered in Denmark (+21.0%), Italy (+11.3%) and Greece (+11.1%), and the largest decreases in Hungary (-8.6%), Ireland (-6.2%) and Sweden (-5.9%).

Annual changes

In August 2010 compared with August 2009, new orders for intermediate goods rose by 28.0% in the euro area and by 27.0% in the EU27. Capital goods increased by 25.2% and 23.3% respectively. Durable consumer goods grew by 15.9% in the euro area and by 14.0% in the EU27. Non-durable consumer goods gained 11.9% and 9.0% respectively.

Total manufacturing working on orders rose in all Member States for which data are available. The highest increases were registered in Denmark (+52.9%), Latvia (+49.7%) and Estonia (+38.3%), and the lowest in Portugal (+9.2%), the United Kingdom (+9.9%) and Spain (+12.6%).