German industrial production lifts its head in March

FRANKFURT AM MAIN, May 08 (AFP): Industrial production in Europe's largest economy Germany ticked up in March, official data showed Wednesday, suggesting some lightening of the gloom that has fallen over Europe's largest economy.

Output added 0.5 per cent month-on-month, federal statistics authority Destatis said in figures adjusted for price, seasonal and calendar effects, although the measure remained 0.9 per cent lower than a year before.

Looking to different industrial sectors, manufacturers of capital goods reported steady performance compared with February, while producer goods makers added 0.4 per cent and consumer goods firms 1.1 per cent.

Energy production rose 0.3 per cent and construction output 1.0 per cent.

In a separate statement, the economy ministry in Berlin noted that industrial production had risen 0.5 per cent quarter-on-quarter between January and March.