Euro area industrial output falls 0.5 per cent in August
EU production declined by 0.3 per cent from July, while both economies also recorded falls compared with August 2025.
Industrial production contracted in August 2026, with seasonally adjusted output falling by 0.5 per cent across the euro area and 0.3 per cent across the EU from July. The first estimates from Eurostat, the EU’s statistical office, also showed annual declines of 1.1 per cent and 0.2 per cent respectively.
Non-durable consumer goods production fell by 2.7 per cent month on month in the euro area and 2.3 per cent in the EU. Energy and intermediate goods output also declined in both. Capital goods production moved in the opposite direction, rising by 0.4 per cent in the euro area and 0.7 per cent in the EU.
Belgium registered the sharpest monthly contraction, at 5.1 per cent, followed by Ireland at 3.1 per cent and Portugal at 2.0 per cent. Sweden recorded the strongest increase, at 6.5 per cent; Estonia followed with 4.3 per cent and the Netherlands with 2.6 per cent.
On an annual basis, Ireland’s 15.0 per cent decline was the largest, while the Netherlands led the increases with 9.8 per cent. Non-durable consumer goods output was down by 9.1 per cent in the euro area and 6.7 per cent in the EU compared with August 2025.
Eurostat also revised July’s monthly figures downwards. Euro area production fell by 0.3 per cent, rather than the previously estimated 0.1 per cent, while the EU decline was revised to 0.4 per cent from 0.3 per cent.
