The Industrial Production Index of the A.C. of the Basque Country fell 0.2% in July 2002, with regard to the same month the year before, according to EUSTAT data. This decrease was 4.0% when measured in homogeneous terms of working days. With these data, the accumulated rate for the first seven months of the year showed a n 1.6% decrease on the same period the previous year in absolute terms. Once corrected for the calendar effect, this decrease came to 1.0% in homogeneous terms.

In July 2002 the most positive inter-annual variations (above average) corresponded to the following sectors: "Metal and non-metal minerals", "Non-metal industry", "Paper, publishing and graphic arts" and "Timber industry".

Among the sectors that registered the most negative inter-annual rates were "Rubber and plastic" (-8.4%), "Textiles and clothing" (-7.3%) and "Oil Refining" (-5.0%).

According to the economic destination of goods, prices fell in July 2002 for Consumer Goods (-1.9%) and Capital Goods (-0.6%) whereas Intermediate Goods rose (+0.2%).

The balance for the first seven months of the year shows a 0.5% increase in the Consumer Goods Index and a fall in the Indexes of Capital Goods (-2.3%) and Intermediate Goods (-1.5%).

The variations in the Industrial Production General Index for July 2002 with regard to the same month the previous year were different in the three provinces: Álava (-2.1%), Bizkaia (0.0%) and Gipuzkoa (+0.4%).

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