Statistics in Focus. EU-15 industrial production was 4.2% higher in December 1999 compared to a year earlier Extract from Monthly Panorama of European Business.

Abstract

This report is an extract from the Monthly Panorama of European Business. It aims to give information on the most recent short­term indicators from the European Business Trends database. The production index for total industry in the EU grew at a faster rate in the second half of 1999. At the same time there was considerable growth in producer prices for intermediate goods in the EU (largely as a result of the influence of oil prices). This influenced American producer price data too ­although the same effect was not seen in Japan. There was a general downward trend observed for employment for total industry in ail three members of the Triad in 1999. This was especially the case in Japan. However, the most recent data for the USA pointed to stability for industrial employment.