Industry - May 2026

Industrial production was in real terms by 0.4% lower, m-o-m, in May 2026. In the year-on-year comparison, it increased by 2.0%. “Industrial production in May increased, year-on-year, in most economic activities. The growth was supported the most by manufacture of computer, electronic and optical products, namely because of the influence of both a recovery in that industry as well as due to a lower comparison basis,“ Veronika Doležalová, Head of the Industrial Statistics Unit of the Czech Statistical Office (CZSO), says. Further, mainly the following contributed to the May growth: manufacture of motor vehicles, trailers and semi-trailers, manufacture of fabricated metal products, and manufacture of chemicals and chemical products. Production decreased, y-o-y, in manufacture of other transport equipment, in which, however, the influence of a high comparison basis from May of the previous year was reflected. Mining and quarrying (mainly of coal) continued to decrease, too.

The value of new orders at current prices in surveyed industrial CZ-NACE activities in May 2026 increased by 4.0%, y-o-y. New non-domestic orders increased by 5.2%, year-on-year. Domestic new orders recorded an increase by 1.7%. In the month-on-month comparison, the value of new orders was by 1.2% lower. “An increase in the value of new orders in industry in May was contributed to the most by manufacture of computer, electronic and optical products, manufacture of chemicals and chemical products, and manufacture of basic metals,“ Irena Stupňánková from the Industrial Statistics Unit of the CZSO, says. Besides manufacture of paper and paper products, also manufacture of machinery and equipment recorded a decrease in the value of new industrial orders, year-on-year.

The average registered number of employees in industry decreased by 1.1%, y-o-y, in May 2026.

According to data released by Eurostat, industrial production in the EU27 increased by 0.9%, year-on-year, in April 2026. Industry of Denmark and Lithuania increased the most (by 12.2% and 7.4%, respectively). Performance of Czech industry increased by 1.5%. The biggest year-on-year decrease was recorded by Luxembourg (by 6.1%) and by Bulgaria together with Ireland (both the same by 4.2%). German industry decreased by 1.2%. As for economic activities of industry in the EU27, manufacture of other transport equipment increased (by 15.3%); the biggest decrease was recorded in manufacture of leather and related products (by 7.3%). According to a preliminary release calendar, Eurostat will release data for May 2026 on 15 July 2026.