Industry - January 2008

In January 2008, seasonally adjusted industrial production increased by 2.3%, compared to January 2007. Industrial production grew by 9.3%, year-on-year. Sales from industrial activity at constant prices rose by 8.5%, year-on-year. The value of industrial new orders increased by 1.1%, year-on-year.
Seasonally adjusted industrial production in January 2008 was up by 2.3%, month-on-month. The trend grew by 0.7% (Table 6).

The year-on-year index of industrial production reached 109.3% in January 2008 (or 108.4% seasonally adjusted, SA). The growth of industrial production (Table 5) was most contributed to by 'manufacture of electrical and optical equipment' (+25.0%, contribution to the growth of industry in total 3.2 percentage points), 'manufacture of transport equipment' (+11.5%, contribution 2.6 p. p.) and 'manufacture of machinery and equipment' (+17.2%, contribution 1.1 p.p.). In contrast, a decrease was recorded for 'manufacture of textiles and textile products' (-5.3%, contribution -0.1 p.p.) and 'manufacture of wood and wood products' (-1.8%, contribution -0.02 p.p.).

In January 2008, an increase of production was recorded for all main industrial groupings: ‘consumer durables’ (+47.4%), ‘capital goods’ (+12.5%), ‘intermediate goods’ (+6.8%), energy (+2.8%) and ‘consumer non-durables’ (+2.4%).

Sales from industrial activity at constant prices (of the year 2000) rose by 8.5% (+8.8% at current prices), by 8.0% SA, year-on-year. The increase of sales from industrial activity was most contributed to by ‘manufacture of electrical and optical equipment’ (+18.5%, contribution to the growth of industry in total 2.9 percentage points), ‘manufacture of transport equipment’ (+11.4%, contribution 2.6 p.p.) and 'manufacture of machinery and equipment' (+17.2%, contribution 1.3 p.p.). Sales from industrial activity decreased in 'electricity, gas and water supply' (-4.0%, contribution -0.3 p.p.), 'manufacture of textiles and textile products' (-5.0%, contribution -0.1 p.p.) and 'manufacture of wood and wood products' (-1.8%, contribution -0.03 p.p.).

Direct export sales of industrial enterprises increased by 10.3% at constant prices (+5.7% at current prices), and their proportion in total sales of industrial enterprises stood at 48.9% (at current prices).

Sales from industrial activity of foreign-controlled enterprises were 8.4% up at constant prices (+6.8% at current prices), and their contribution to total sales made 59.3% (current prices). Direct export sales of industrial foreign-controlled enterprises increased by 8.1% at constant prices (+3.7% at current prices) and made up 75.5% of total sales of these enterprises (current prices).

The average number of persons employed in the industry went up by 3.1% in January 2008 (+36.2 thousand persons), year-on-year. Increases in average number of persons employed were registered in ‘manufacture of rubber and plastic products’ (+10.0%), ‘manufacture of transport equipment’ (+7.7%) and ‘manufacture of machinery and equipment’ (+7.2%). Employment decreased most in 'electricity, gas and water supply' (-10.6%), ‘manufacture of textiles and textile products’ (-7.3%) and ‘mining and quarrying of energy producing materials’ (-3.4%).

The average monthly nominal wage in industry rose by 12.2%, year-on-year, and in January 2008 amounted to CZK 22,367. The bigger growth came from higher bonuses and remuneration. The average hourly wage increased by 12.2% and stood at CZK 146.8. Labour productivity in industry (sales per employee) rose by 4.5% and hourly labour productivity by 5.1%.

Industrial new orders in selected CZ-NACE activities concluded in January 2008 reached the value of CZK 171.5 billion (current prices), of which non-domestic industrial new orders made up CZK 109.9 billion. The y-o-y index of industrial new orders in total stood at 101.1%, the index of non-domestic industrial new orders was 95.9%. Non-domestic industrial new orders grew most in ‘manufacture of radio, television and communication equipment and apparatus’ (+40.9%, contribution to the growth of industry in total 2.3 percentage points), ‘manufacture of machinery and equipment‘ (+18.0%, contribution 2.2 p.p.) and ‘manufacture of medical, precision and optical instruments, watches and clocks’ (+29.5%, contribution 0.6 p.p.). Non-domestic industrial new orders dropped in ‘manufacture of basic metals‘ (-34.0%, contribution -3.4 percentage points), 'manufacture of motor vehicles, trailers and semi-trailers' (-6.1%, contribution -2.1 p.p.), ‘manufacture of office machinery and computers’ (-33.1%, contribution -1.5 percentage points).
According to Eurostat News Release, the working days adjusted index of industrial production in the EU27 rose by 1.2% in December 2007 compared to December 2006. Among the EU27 member states for which the data were available, the highest increases were registered in the Netherlands (+10.3%), Lithuania (+7.2) and Slovakia (+6.3%). For Germany a 4.7% growth was reported, whereas in Italy the index decreased by 6.5%.

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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: 6 March 2008
End of data processing: 10 March 2008
Related publication: 8001-07 Industry of the Czech Republic