The index of new orders in the manufacturing sector in Romania increased by 15.8% y/y in the first quarter of the year, the statistics office reported. The annual rise in March was 17.6% y/y. The index covers the industrial branches that operate on demand – including durable and non-durable consumer goods, but not food and beverages.
The robust growth in the flow of new orders supports the positive expectations for the continuation of the industrial expansion. Industrial output increased [volume terms] by 9% y/y in Jan-Feb and March industrial sales index figures [value terms, up real 17.7% y/y in the month] encourage expectations for a strong performance in the third month of the year too.
Among the sectors covered, the volume of new orders in textiles manufacturing, electric equipment manufacturing and machinery and equipment manufacturing [other than transport, electric and electronic] increased by more than 20% in both Q1 and March alone. The new orders in metallurgy increased by 8.1% y/y in Q1 and 10.3% in March alone.
In terms of classes of goods, growth rates well above the average were reported in the durable consumer goods sector – up 32% y/y.
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