High sales of capital goods

Revenues from oil and gas production, manufacturing, mining and power supply totalled about NOK 111 billion in May and June 1997 (third bimonthly period). This is an increase of 8.8 per cent from the same period last year. The capital goods industry boosted growth with a 26.3 per cent increase in revenues. The general trend in manufacturing varies, but is mostly positive.

Capital goods industry revenues totalled NOK 18.4 billion in the third bimonthly period this year, an increase of 26.3 per cent. Engineering businesses in general reported sharply higher sales after a number of large projects were invoiced in May and June this year. Capital goods businesses had revenues of NOK 47.3 billion in the first half, an increase of 14.2 per cent compared to the same period last year.

Varied development

Chemical industry sales totalled NOK 5.1 billion in the third period, up 4.7 per cent from last year. Increased production and exports contributed to the increase even though prices went down. Thanks mainly to increased production and higher prices, metal industry revenues totalled NOK 6 billion, an increase of 4.1 per cent. Revenues in wood processing declined 5.3 per cent to NOK 3.2 billion due to lower exports of wood processing products and lower prices for mass products compared to the same time last year.

New Statistics

Sales statistics, oil and gas extraction, mining and quarrying, manufacturing, electricity and gas supply, May/June 1997.
Statistics are published every other month in the Weekly Bulletin of Statistics. More information: Anita Hallenstvedt, tel. +47 21 09 47 45, e-mail: ani@ssb.no, or Espen Sørensen, tel. +47 21 09 49 11, e-mail: esn@ssb.no.

Weekly Bulletin issue no. 51-52, 1997