The euro area (EA12) industrial new orders index increased by 2.8% in December 2006 compared to November 2006. The index grew by 1.1% in November but fell by 0.3% in October. EU25 new orders gained 2.7% in December 2006, after increases of 0.8% in November and 0.4% in October. Excluding ships, railway and aerospace equipment industrial new orders rose by 0.6% in the euro area and remained stable in the EU25 in December 2006.



In December 2006 compared to December 2005, industrial new orders increased by 1.6% in the euro area and by 2.5% in the EU25. Total industry excluding ships, railway and aerospace equipment grew by 4.6% in the euro area and by 3.9% in the EU25.

The average industrial new orders index for 2006, compared to 2005, increased by 9.1% in the euro area and by 8.8% in the EU25.

Monthly changes

In December 2006 compared to November 2006, new orders for transport equipment increased by 4.5% in the euro area and by 4.8% in the EU25. Manufacturing of basic metals and fabricated metal products gained 2.3% and 2.2% respectively. Textiles and textile products grew by 1.9% in the euro area and by 1.1% in the EU25. Manufacturing of chemicals and chemical products rose by 1.8% and 1.6% respectively. Machinery and equipment increased by 0.9% in the euro area, but fell by 0.5% in the EU25. Electrical and electronic equipment increased by 0.5% in the euro area, but declined by 0.5% in the EU25.

In December 2006, among the EU25 Member States for which data are available, total manufacturing working on orders rose in ten Member States and fell in eight. The highest increases were recorded in Ireland (+21.0%), Portugal (+9.3%) and Denmark (+7.6%). The largest decreases were registered in Latvia (-22.9%), Poland (-10.0%), the Czech Republic and Greece (both -3.4%).

Annual changes

In December 2006 compared to December 2005, new orders for machinery and equipment grew by 11.6% in the euro area and by 10.9% in the EU25. Manufacturing of basic metals and fabricated metal products increased by 10.6% and 9.7% respectively. Chemicals and chemical products gained 4.9% in the euro area and 3.5% in the EU25. Manufacturing of textiles and textile products declined by 1.2% and 2.9% respectively. Electrical and electronic equipment dropped by 1.6% in the euro area and by 2.6% in the EU25. Transport equipment fell by 6.1% in the euro area, but rose by 0.3% in the EU25.

In December 2006, among the EU25 Member States for which data are available, total manufacturing working on orders rose in seventeen Member States, and fell only in France (-4.2%). The highest increases were registered in Slovakia (+36.4%), Hungary (+35.1%) and Latvia (+33.5%).