Catalonia’s industrial production dropped by 2.7% in 2012, while the Spanish index plummeted by 5.9%

Madrid (ACN).- The economic recession has meant that Catalonia’s industrial production index decreased by 2.7% last year compared to the 2011 figures, according to data published on Thursday by the Spanish Statistics Institute (INE). In addition, the note indicated that the Catalan industrial sector has contracted for the last 10 consecutive months. However, Catalonia’s industry is less affected than the Spanish average, which plummeted by 5.9% in 2012. One severely affected sector was the means of production, with a 7.3% decrease in December and 11 consecutive months of accumulated drops. However, the production of long-life goods, in which car manufacturers are included, decreased by 7.1% in December, has already accumulated 28 consecutive months in the red.

With different levels of intensity, all the industrial activity sub-sectors ended 2012 with negative results, with the only exception being the energy industry, which increased its production by 5.6%. The sector in the worst position was the means of production, with a 7.3% decrease in December, compared to the results from 12 months ago. Furthermore, the sector has accumulated 11 consecutive months with poor results.

However, the sector with the longest contraction is the production of long-life goods, which has been in the red for the last 28 consecutive months. Last December, this sector plummeted by 7.1% compared to December 2011. This sector has been particularly affected by the consumption crisis, resulting in its products having a higher price and, in general terms, they require funding from banks. Therefore, the current context of a high unemployment rate, salary drops and difficult access to loans has a great and lasting impact on this sector.

The industrial sector of intermediate goods (also called semi-finished products) dropped by 4.3% in 2012, accumulating 18 consecutive months falling profits. Finally, consumption goods registered a 1% negative index and falls in 4 consecutive months, while the production of short-life goods decreased by 0.5%, also with 4 consecutive months of negative results.