Industry - February 2008

In February 2008, seasonally adjusted industrial production increased by 1.2%, compared to January 2008. Industrial production grew by 11.3% year-on-year. Revenues from industrial activity at constant prices rose by 10.8% year-on-year. The value of industrial new orders increased by 4.4% year-on-year.
Seasonally adjusted industrial production in February 2008 was up by 1.2% month-on-month. The trend grew by 0.9% (Table 6).

The year-on-year index of industrial production reached 111.3% in February 2008 (or 110.7% working days adjusted). There was one working day more in February 2008 compared to February 2007. Seasonally (SA) and working days adjusted (WDA) index was 109.1%. The growth of industrial production (Table 5) was most contributed to by 'manufacture of transport equipment' (+17.7%, contribution to the growth of industry in total 4.0 percentage points), 'manufacture of electrical and optical equipment' (+25.3%, contribution 3.3 p. p.) and 'manufacture of machinery and equipment' (+22.1%, contribution 1.5 p.p.). In contrast, decreases were recorded in 'manufacture of textiles and textile products' (-9.9%, contribution -0.3 p.p.) and 'manufacture of food products; beverages and tobacco' (-3.6%, contribution -0.3 p.p.).

In February 2008, production increased in main industrial groupings: ‘consumer durables’ (+41.2%), ‘capital goods’ (+17.6%), ‘intermediate goods’ (+8.6%) and energy (+7.0%). A decrease was recorded in main industrial grouping ‘consumer non-durables’ (-4.0%).

Revenues from industrial activity at constant prices (of the year 2000) rose by 10.8% year-on-year (+10.0% at current prices), by 10.3% WDA and by 9.1% SA. The increase of revenues from industrial activity was most contributed to by ‘manufacture of transport equipment’ (+17.7%, contribution to the growth of industry in total 4.0 percentage points), ‘manufacture of electrical and optical equipment’ (+19.5%, contribution 3.1 p.p.) and 'manufacture of machinery and equipment' (+22.0%, contribution 1.8 p.p.). Revenues from industrial activity decreased in 'manufacture of food products; beverages and tobacco' (-3.6%, contribution -0.3 p.p.) and 'manufacture of textiles and textile products' (-10.6%, contribution -0.2 p.p.).

Direct export revenues of industrial enterprises increased by 11.1% at constant prices (+5.0% at current prices), and their proportion in total revenues of industrial enterprises stood at 48.6% (at current prices).

Revenues from industrial activity of foreign-controlled enterprises were 11.5% up at constant prices (+8.2% at current prices), and their contribution to total sales made 59.9% (current prices). Direct export sales of industrial foreign-controlled enterprises increased by 11.7% at constant prices (+5.4% at current prices) and made up 76.6% of total revenues of these enterprises (at current prices).

The average number of persons employed in industry went up by 2.5% year-on-year in February 2008 (+28.6 thousand persons). Increases in average number of persons employed were registered in ‘manufacture of rubber and plastic products’ (+10.0%), ‘manufacture of transport equipment’ (+7.4%) and ‘manufacture of machinery and equipment’ (+6.6%). Employment decreased most in 'electricity, gas and water supply' (-10.4%), ‘manufacture of textiles and textile products’ (-6.8%) and ‘manufacture of leather and leather products’ (-3.2%).
The average monthly nominal wage in industry rose by 13.1% year-on-year and amounted to CZK 21 248. The average hourly wage increased by 6.4% and stood at CZK 145.4. Labour productivity in industry grew by 7.4% and hourly labour productivity by 1.8%.

Industrial new orders in selected CZ-NACE activities concluded in February 2008 reached the value of CZK 162.7 billion (current prices), of which non-domestic industrial new orders made up CZK 104.3 billion. The y-o-y index of industrial new orders in total stood at 104.4%, the index of non-domestic industrial new orders was 98.6%. Non-domestic industrial new orders grew most in ‘manufacture of radio, television and communication equipment and apparatus’ (+43.4%, contribution to the growth of industry in total 2.8 percentage points), ‘manufacture of machinery and equipment‘ (+11.3%, contribution 1.5 p.p.) and ‘manufacture of electrical machinery and apparatus’ (+15.5%, contribution 1.5 p.p.). Non-domestic industrial new orders dropped in 'manufacture of motor vehicles, trailers and semi-trailers' (-7.5%, contribution -2.4 percentage points), ‘manufacture of office machinery and computers’ (-39.2%, contribution -2.1 p.p.) and ‘manufacture of basic metals‘ (-13.8%, contribution -1.2 percentage points).
According to Eurostat News Release, working days adjusted industrial production in the EU27 rose by 3.5% in January 2008 compared to January 2007. Among the EU27 member states for which data were available, the highest increases were registered in Poland (+10.7%), Lithuania (+8.5) and Slovakia (+8.4%). Germany reported a growth of 6.9%. The highest decrease was recorded in Portugal (-1.7%).

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Note
Contact: Jan Ernest, tel: (+420) 274054188, e-mail: jan.ernest@csu.gov.cz
Data source: CZSO direct survey in enterprises with 20+ employees
End of data collection: 4 April 2008
End of data processing: 8 April 2008
Related publication: 8001-08 Industry of the Czech Republic ( http://www.czso.cz/csu/2007edicniplan.nsf/p/8001-08 )