France's industrial production grew more than forecast in August

According to the report from INSEE, in August 2021, output went up again in the manufacturing industry (+1.1%, after +0.7%), as well as in the whole industry (+1.0%, after +0.5%). Economists had expected a 0.3% increase in the whole industry. Compared to February 2020 (the last month before the first general lockdown), output remained in decline in the manufacturing industry (–4.5%), as well as in the whole industry (–3.9%).

In August 2021, output bounced back in “other manufacturing” (+2.4% after –0.4%), in the manufacture of machinery and equipment goods (+1.8% after –0.3%), in mining and quarrying, energy, water supply (+0.5% after –1.0%) and in the manufacture of coke and refined petroleum (+3.2% after –7.4%). However it fell back in the manufacture of food products and beverages (–1.6% after +1.7%) and in the manufacture of transport equipment (–1.6% after +7.0%).

Cumulative output over the last three months was higher than that of the same months of 2020 in the manufacturing industry (+5.1%), as well as in the whole industry (+4.9%).

Over this one-year period, output increased strongly in all manufacturing activities: in “other manufacturing” (+6.1%), in the manufacture of machinery and equipment goods (+6.0%), in mining and quarrying, energy, water supply (+3.8%), in the manufacture of food products and beverages (+3.4%), in the manufacture of transport equipment (+1.9%) and in the manufacture of coke and refined petroleum products (+7.9%).