The Confindustria Study Center detects an increase in industrial production of 0,7% in October over September, the month in which it estimated a variation of -1,9% on August. In the third quarter of 2016 – reads the note from the CSC – activity increased by 0,8% on the second (-0,2% on the first). In the fourth quarter the change acquired is nil. Production, net of the different number of working days, increased by 0,5% in October compared to the same month last year; in September a decrease of 1,0% was recorded on September 2015.
Volume orders recorded a change of +0,5% in October over September (+0,1% over October 2015), when they had increased by 0,6% over August (+0,4% over twelve months). The qualitative indicators – continues the note – herald greater production in the last quarter of 2016.
In October the confidence of manufacturing entrepreneurs it improved for the second consecutive month: the general index rose by 0,9 points (to 103,0), after +0,8 in September (it had dropped by 1,7 points in August). More optimistic assessments were found on total orders (balance of assessments at the highest levels since the end of 2015), thanks above all to the domestic component, and on current production levels. However, expectations are stable. The greatest gains in confidence have been among capital goods producers.
