For information only - not an official document
UNIS/OUS/225
2 December 2013
VIENNA, 2 December 2013 (United Nations Industrial Development Organization) - World manufacturing output increased modestly at 2.4 per cent during the third quarter of 2013 amid a continued recovery in industrialized countries, but manufacturing growth rates in developing and emerging industrial economies have slowed, according to the latest statistics report published by the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO).
Manufacturing output in the United States grew by 2.3 per cent and in Japan by 2.0 per cent in the third quarter. However, the recovery in eurozone countries remained fragile and could not maintain the recently observed growth trend. Manufacturing output again dropped in France and Italy.
Outside the eurozone, manufacturing output in Norway grew by 3.9 per cent and in Switzerland by 9.4 per cent. However, in the Russian Federation it plunged by 7.0 per cent.
Among developing and emerging industrial economies, China maintained an exceptionally high manufacturing growth rate of 9.3 per cent. The combined growth rate of other developing and emerging economies was just 2.0 per cent in the third quarter.
The slow pace of manufacturing growth has become a common phenomenon for developing and emerging industrial economies. The major obstacles are related to high input prices, including energy costs, low demand and a reduced outflow of capital from industrialized countries. In the third quarter, the manufacturing output of Brazil grew by just 0.4 per cent, India by 1.2 per cent and Mexico by 1.0 per cent.
At the regional level, the manufacturing output of Africa grew by a mere 0.1 per cent and that of Latin America by just 0.6 per cent.
From the analysis of output growth figures by sector, some early signs of a return of manufacturing activity in industrialized countries were observed. For the first time in many years, production of wearing apparel and consumer electronics showed notable growth in industrialized countries.
The full report is available here.
UNIDO maintains an international industrial statistical database in accordance with the mandate of the United Nations Statistics Commission. Data can be downloaded through online access or obtained through CD products and publications.
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For more information, please contact:
Shyam
Upadhyaya
UNIDO Chief Statistician
Email: s.upadhyaya[at]unido.org
