France: Industrial output rebounds in March
Industrial output rose 0.8% month-on-month in seasonally-adjusted terms in March (February: -4.8% mom). The reading reflected a broad-based upturn, with activity in the manufacturing and energy sub-sectors all improving in March. Moreover, output in the mining and quarrying sub-sector contracted at a softer pace compared to the previous month. That said, the overall print was partly flattered by a low base effect.
On an annual basis, industrial output grew 13.7% in March, rebounding notably from February’s 6.6% fall and marking the best result on record. Accordingly, the trend improved sizably, with the annual average variation of industrial production coming in at minus 8.2%, up from February’s minus 10.9%.