Czech industrial production increased in real terms by 2% year on year and by 0.9% month on month in April (chart), maintaining a modest three-month growth trajectory to which it returned in February. In March industry grew by 1.4% y/y.

“The April growth of industrial production was mainly influenced by a low comparison basis from the previous year in electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply,” commented Radek Matějka of the Czech Statistical Office (CZSO), which released the data.

Matějka added that “manufacture of food products and manufacture of electrical equipment supported growth” as well.

The value of new orders at current prices increased by 7.7% y/y, with new non-domestic orders up by 12.7% and domestic new orders registering a drop by 0.8%. The value of new orders rose m/m by 3.7%.

“The value of new industrial orders increased in April, especially thanks to high orders in the manufacture of motor vehicles, trailers and semi-trailers. Also, enterprises producing electrical equipment mainly for the automotive industry recorded growth,” noted CZSO’s Veronika Doležalová.

The average registered number of employees in industry dropped by 2% y/y.

CZSO also published figures from the April construction production, which rose by 1.9% y/y and fell by 5% m/m.

“The construction output recorded the sixth successive y/y growth,” Matějka stated, adding that “the growth took place in both the civil engineering construction and the building construction.”

Output in building construction was up by 1.8% y/y, while engineering construction rose by 2.3%. At the same time, the approximate value of issued building permits fell by 9.9%. The number of started dwellings amounted to 2,668, or a steep fall of 26.2%, while the number of completed dwellings amounted to 3,908, or a drop of 0.1%.

The 9/9% decrease in building permits “took place in the segment of large constructions with budgets over CZK1bn (approximately €40mn),” commented Petra Cuřínová of CZSO, adding that “as for smaller constructions, the approximate value stagnated.”