Index of industrial production, February 2012

Industries such as fabricated metal products, machinery and equipment, as well as ships, boats and oil platforms had a growth in production. The growth in these industries can be related to the record high investments made in the Norwegian petroleum sector (see Investment statistics, 1st quarter 2012 ). Paper and paper products and basic chemicals saw a downturn in production from December 2011 to February 2012 compared with the previous three-month period. The decrease in basic chemicals can partly be explained by a further decline in the solar-cell industry. Food products also saw a minor decrease in production in the same period.

Growth in production from February 2011 to February 2012

Production in manufacturing went up by 0.8 per cent from February 2011 to February 2012, according to working-day adjusted figures. Industries like fabricated metal products, machinery and equipment together with ships, boats and oil platforms had a significant increase in production. Food products, paper and paper products and basic chemicals had a decrease in production in the same period.

Decline in manufacturing from January 2012 to February 2012

The output in manufacturing decreased by 0.7 per cent from January 2012 to February 2012, according to seasonally-adjusted figures. There was a decline in industries such as food products, paper and paper products and basic chemicals. Industries like wood and wood products and basic metals had an increase in production in the same period.

Norway and the euro area

There was a 1.7 per cent increase in Norwegian manufacturing output from January 2011 to January 2012, according to working-day adjusted figures. Industrial production in the euro area decreased by 0.5 per cent in the same period, according to figures published by Eurostat .