Belgium: Industrial output contracts at sharpest pace since December 2020 in April
Industrial production dropped 0.2% year on year in calendar-adjusted terms in April (March: +4.9% c.a. yoy). The outturn marked the worst reading since December 2020. April’s notable weakening was partly due to a deterioration in manufacturing output growth. Meanwhile, energy output dropped at a more moderate pace.
On a monthly basis, industrial output dropped 0.6% in seasonally-adjusted terms in April, contrasting March’s 0.5% expansion. Meanwhile, annual average industrial production growth fell to 13.4% in April (March: +16.2%). This signals a worsening trend in the industrial sector.