IMPROVING LIVES THROUGH DATA ECOSYSTEMS

Manufacturing production for February 2012 increased by 4,1% compared with February 2011.

The 4,1% year-on-year increase in manufacturing production for February 2012 was mainly due to higher production in the following divisions:

• the food and beverages division (8,9% and contributing 1,5 percentage points);
• the basic iron and steel, non-ferrous metal products, metal products and machinery division (7,3% and contributing 1,5 percentage points);
• the glass and non-metallic mineral products division (13,2% and contributing 0,6 of a percentage point);
• the petroleum, chemical products, rubber and plastic products division (2,5% and contributing 0,6 of a percentage point); and
• the furniture and other manufacturing division (4,4% and contributing 0,2 of a percentage point).

The motor vehicles, parts and accessories and other transport equipment division recorded a contraction year-on-year ( 3,0% and contributing  0,4 of a percentage point).

Seasonally adjusted manufacturing production for the three months ended February 2012 increased by 1,6% compared with the previous three months ended November 2011. Six of the ten manufacturing divisions reported positive growth rates over this period.

The increase was driven mainly by higher production recorded for:

• the petroleum, chemical products, rubber and plastic products division (4,0% and contributing 1,0 percentage point);
• the basic iron and steel, non-ferrous metal products, metal products and machinery division (3,3% and contributing 0,7 of a percentage point);
• the wood and wood products, paper, publishing and printing division (2,7% and contributing 0,3 of a percentage point); and
• the food and beverages division (1,8% and contributing 0,3 of a percentage point).

However, these increases were partially counteracted by decreases reported by:

• the electrical machinery division (-8,5% and contributing -0,3 of a percentage point); and
• the furniture and other manufacturing division (-6,1% and contributing -0,3 of a percentage point).