Source: EUSTAT

In the month of June 2004, the highest inter-annual changes corresponded to the sectors of “Electric energy, Gas and Water” (26.1%), "Electrical Material" (14.7%), "Transport Material" (14.4%), " Electrical Material " (12.2%), "Timber Industry" (9.3%) and "Rubber and Plastic" (9.0%) and, on the other hand, the sectors which returned negative inter-annual rates were "Metallic and non-metallic minerals" (-25.0%), "Non-metallic Industry" (-19.9%), "Textile and tailoring" (-10.6%), "Other manufacturers" (-5.2%), "Leather and footwear industry" (-5.1%) and "Petroleum Refinery" (-0.3%).

Throughout the first six months of the year 2003, the highest growth rates corresponded to “Electric energy, Gas and Water" (23.8%), " Petroleum Refinery" (22.5%), "Electrical Material" (8.8%), "Rubber and Plastic" (5.8%) and "Transport Material" (4.1%). On the other hand, the worst half-yearly rates were registered by “Non-metallic industry” (-14.2%), "Metallic and Non-metallic minerals” (-13.5%), "Leather and footwear Industry" (-13,2%), and "Other manufacturers" (-5.6%).

According to the classification for Goods by economic destination, the inter-annual rate for the Energy branch increased considerably in June 2004 (10.3%); also increasing, albeit more moderately, were Capital Goods (7.0%) and Intermediate Goods (5.6%), as well as Perishable Consumer Goods (6.6%), while non-perishable Consumer Goods rose slightly (2.6%), amounting to an overall increase in Consumer Goods of 5.3%.

Accounting for calendar effects the inter-annual growth for the Energy sector was 8.9%, Capital Goods grew 4.4% in standard terms, while intermediate goods grew by 3.3%. Consumer Goods, on the other hand, registered an increase of 2.7% (4.3% for perishable consumer goods and -0.5% for non-perishables).

In the first six months of the year, and in comparison with the same period of the previous year, the Energy branch accumulated a growth, in absolute terms, of 23.4%, Intermediate Goods obtained an increase of 3.2%, while Capital Goods rose by un 2.0% and Consumer Goods increased by 0.6%, a figure which breaks down into –2.3% for non-perishables and 2.1% for perishables.

Looking at the provincial breakdown, the Inter-annual changes in the General Index have been at different rates. There was growth, in absolute terms, of 13.3% in Alava, 6.4% in Bizkaia, and 1,7% in Gipuzkoa. In the whole of the first six months of 2004 the highest rates of accumulated growth corresponded to Alava with 8.1%, followed by Bizkaia with 3.7% and, finally, Gipuzkoa obtained an increase of 2.6%.

(*) Adjusted for calendar effects

Source: EUSTAT