IMPROVING LIVES THROUGH DATA ECOSYSTEMS

Manufacturing production for May 2012 increased by 4,2% compared with May 2011.

The 4,2% year-on-year increase in manufacturing production for May 2012 was mainly due to higher production in the following divisions:

• food and beverages (12,4% and contributing 2,1 percentage points);
• motor vehicles, parts and accessories and other transport equipment (14,1% and contributing 1,5 percentage points); and
• petroleum, chemical products, rubber and plastic products (3,9% and contributing 1,0 percentage point).

The basic iron and steel, non-ferrous metal products, metal products and machinery division recorded a contraction year-on-year for May 2012 (-6,2% and contributing -1,3 percentage points).

Seasonally adjusted manufacturing production for the three months ended May 2012 decreased by 0,9% compared with the previous three months ended February 2012. Six of the ten manufacturing divisions reported negative growth rates over this period.

The decrease was driven mainly by lower production recorded for the:

• basic iron and steel, non-ferrous metal products, metal products and machinery division (-4,8% and contributing -1,0 percentage point);
• wood and wood products, paper, publishing and printing division (-6,9% and contributing -0,7 of a percentage point); and
• food and beverages division (-2,2% and contributing -0,4 of a percentage point).

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

• motor vehicles, parts and accessories and other transport equipment division (4,8% and contributing 0,5 of a percentage point); and
• furniture and other manufacturing division (11,0% and contributing 0,5 of a percentage point).