The industrial production of the A.C. of the Basque Country grew by 9.1% in January 2006 with regard to the same month in 2005, in homogeneous terms of the working calendar, according to EUSTAT data. This inter-annual performance of the Industrial Production Index was boosted by new activities in the energy sector and a significant contribution by capital goods.

In January 2006, compared to December 2005, industrial production grew 0.8% in the A.C. of the Basque Country, once corrected for seasonal effects. Last December this inter-monthly rate also registered 0.8% growth, and, therefore, the inter-monthly evolution for the first month of the year continued the recovery which began in December.

Sectorial evolution

By sectors, and based on the classification of large industrial sectors, the evolution of the index in January 2006 with regard to January 2005 presented growth in all sectors: Energy (26.0%), Capital Goods (14.8%), Intermediate Goods (4.5%) and Consumer Goods (1.6%). The latter are divided between Durable Consumer Goods, which registered 7.5% inter-annual growth and Non-Durable Consumer Goods which fell by 1.3%.

Inter-monthly variations in January 2006, on December 2005, were positive for large sectors like Energy (3.8%), Capital Goods (3.7%) and Intermediate Goods (0.8%), but dropped for Consumer Goods, with a 2.6% decrease with regard to December 2005. Of the two components of Consumer Goods, Durable Consumer Goods registered an inter-monthly increase of 1.0%, while Non-Durable Consumer Goods decreased by 4.4% in comparison with last December.

Evolution by provinces

By provinces, the inter-annual evolution of the Industrial Production Index was also positive for all three, growing 10.1% in Bizkaia, 9.3% in Álava and 7.8% in Gipuzkoa.

Inter-monthly growth rates, January 2006 on December 2005, varied in all three provinces, growing inter-monthly by 1.3% in Bizkaia and Gipuzkoa, but decreasing by 0.8% in Álava, during the same period.