PARIS: Industrial output in France inched up by 0.1 percent in September after gaining ground a month earlier, the national statistics bureau Insee revealed on Tuesday.
After increasing by 2.2 percent in August, manufacturing activity remained unchanged in September with falling output in transport equipment and other manufacturing offsetting a sharp growth in coke and refined petroleum products, according to Insee’s monthly data.
As several refineries went back to full production, the manufacture of coke and refined products was the star performer with 22.4-percent growth. Meanwhile, transport sector output lost 1.5 percent, driven down by a 8.1-percent fall in auto manufacturing over the period after it had risen by 14.5 percent in August.
Both mining and the energy sector and electrical business reported positive trends as they grew by 1.8 percent and 0.7 percent respectively.
Quarterly figures showed a 0.4-percent decrease in the country’s industrial production in the third quarter of 2015 with manufacturing output slightly up by 0.1 percent.
