In May 2011 compared with April 2011, the euro area (EA17) industrial new orders index rose by 3.6%. In April the index fell by 0.1%. In the EU27 new orders gained 2.5% in May 2011, after an increase of 0.3% in April. Excluding ships, railway & aerospace equipment, for which changes tend to be more volatile, industrial new orders grew by 3.0% in the euro area and by 2.5% in the EU27.

In May 2011 compared with May 2010, industrial new orders increased by 15.5% in the euro area and by 14.3% in the EU27. Total industry excluding ships, railway & aerospace equipment4 rose by 14.3% and 13.2% respectively.

These estimates are released by Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union.

Monthly comparison

In May 2011 compared with April 2011, new orders for capital goods rose by 3.2% in the euro area and by 1.8% in the EU27. Non-durable consumer goods increased by 2.8% and 2.5% respectively. Intermediate goods grew by 2.5% in both zones. Durable consumer goods fell by 2.2% in the euro area, but gained 0.1% in the EU27.

Among the Member States for which data are available, total manufacturing working on orders rose in fifteen and fell in seven. The highest increases were registered in Estonia (+14.2%), Bulgaria (+14.1%), Hungary (+9.4%) and Sweden (+5.0%), and the largest decreases in Latvia (-10.7%) and Finland (-8.8%).

Annual comparison

In May 2011 compared with May 2010, new orders for capital goods rose by 17.1% in the euro area and by 16.1% in the EU27. Intermediate goods increased by 16.4% and 15.3% respectively. Non-durable consumer goods gained 9.2% in the euro area and 6.9% in the EU27. Durable consumer goods fell by 1.7% and 7.8% respectively.

Total manufacturing working on orders rose in all Member States for which data are available, except Latvia (-8.9%). The highest increases were registered in Estonia (+62.1%), Bulgaria (+42.9%), Lithuania (+22.6%), France and Portugal (both +21.0%), and the smallest in Denmark (+0.8%), Ireland (+3.4%) and Hungary (+4.3%).