In May 2011 compared with April 2011, the euro area (EA17) industrial new orders index rose by 3.6%. In April the index fell by 0.1%. In the EU27 new orders gained 2.5% in May 2011, after an increase of 0.3% in April. Excluding ships, railway & aerospace equipment, for which changes tend to be more volatile, industrial new orders grew by 3.0% in the euro area and by 2.5% in the EU27.