Industrial activity in the A.C. of the Basque Country rose 0.7% in January if compared with the same month the previous year in homogeneours terms of the working calendar, i.e. with the same number of working days. However, in absolute terms the General Index of Industrial Production underwent a 3.0% decrease, as January this year had one working day less than the year before.

In January 2003 the most positive inter-annual variations corresponded to the sectors: "Transport material" (8.2%), "Rubber and plastic" (6.0%), "Textiles and clothing" (5.7%) and "Electric material " (5,3%).

Among the sectors that offered negative inter-annual rates were firstly "Leather and footwear industry" (-16.7%), followed by "Metal and non-metal minerals" (-15.6%), "Other manufactured" (-14.7%) and "Non-metal industry" (-10.0%).

Intermediate Goods and Capital Goods presented positive rates of 3.0% and 8.3%, respectively in the past month of January, while Consumer Goods fell 4.7% with regard to January 2002. In absolute terms, Capital Goods rose 3.4%, while Intermediate Goods fell slightly by –0.5% and Consumer Goods fell more sharply by –8.4%.

The performance of the General Index of Industrial Production varied in the three provinces. On the one hand there was substantial growth of 3.1% in Bizkaia, and on the other there were declines of 0.3% in Alava and 1.5% in Gipuzkoa, measured in homogeneous terms of the working calendar. In absolute terms there was an inter-annual decrease in the three provinces; -0.4% in Bizkaia and –4.1% and -5,4% in Alava and Gipuzkoa, respectively.

For further information: