Industrial turnover in first quarter of 2015 up by 1.8%

Provisional seasonally adjusted industrial turnover in the first quarter of 2015 increased by 0.5 per cent over the previous quarter. Compared to the corresponding period last year, working-day adjusted industrial turnover increased by 1.8 per cent.

Seasonally adjusted industrial turnover for the first quarter increased by 0.5 per cent to 101.2 points over the fourth quarter last year. The growth in industrial turnover was due to an increase in the durable consumer goods, intermediate goods, and energy. This growth was offset by declines in capital goods and non-durable consumer goods.

Seasonally adjusted industrial employment decreased by 0.5 per cent from 96.9 points to 96.4 points. Employment increases in durable consumer goods (1.7 per cent), capital goods (1.5 per cent) and intermediate goods (0.5 per cent) were mitigated by decreases of 9.1 per cent in energy and 1.5 per cent in non-durable consumer goods. During this period, hours worked adjusted for seasonal effects decreased by 0.4 per cent, whereas seasonally adjusted gross wages and salaries decreased by 2.6 per cent.

When compared to the first quarter of 2014, working-day adjusted turnover increased by 1.8 per cent. This was due to an increase in turnover in all the main industrial groupings with the exception of intermediate goods which fell by 3.6 per cent.

Year-on-year unadjusted industrial employment decreased by 1.6 per cent. Industrial hours worked, went down by 1.3 per cent while working-day adjusted industrial wages and salaries increased by 0.4 per cent.