In growth compared to the previous month, as well as in the annual comparison. The figure for industrial production in August is beyond expectations, with Istat recording a monthly progress of 2.3% and 2.9% in the trend comparison.
Period of the year that is generally only partially significant, due to a partial closure of manufacturing activities and which instead is now monitored with greater interest, taking into account the particular moment experienced by several production sectors, struggling with out-of-control energy costs and committed almost daily to calculations of cost-effectiveness, to understand if the orders acquired in the previous months can be put into process without ending up at a loss.
Month in which some companies (for example foundries), unlike in the past, decided to work by focusing on the possibility of lower energy prices, an event that did not actually materialize.
The lower activity rate produces significant variations for individual sectors, as is the case for pharmaceuticals (+ 51%), electronics (+ 31%) and textiles-clothing, up by 20.9%. Only a few sectors are in decisive reverse, including chemistry and metallurgy, the latter sector which has probably reduced its activities above average due to extra costs in energy.
The monthly progress in August thus slightly improves annual performance, with industrial production increasing by 1.4% in the first eight months of the year.