Industrial gross output increased in April

The growth was 11.8% compared to April 2007, the index adjusted by working days rose by 6.5%.

 The volume of the production was higher
by 8.1% in the first four months of 2008 than in the same period of
the previous year. The volume of industrial production in April –
according to seasonally and by working-day adjusted indices – was
above the level of the previous month by 1.4%.

The industrial export sales grew by 12%
in the first four months and by 19.2% in April compared to the same
period of the previous year. Two manufacturing subsections gave more
than six tenths of the export sales in April. In the fourth month of
the year the greatest exporter (representing one third of the export
of manufacturing), the manufacture of electrical and optical
equipment had a 10.7% export volume growth. The export volume of
transport equipment − the other significant subsection, giving
nearly three tenths of the export sales of manufacturing − rose
above the average, by 23.2%.

In January-April the industrial
domestic sales as a whole exceeded the level of the same month of the
previous year by 3.6% and grew by 8.3% in April. The energy section
contributed to the increase of domestic sales of industry, since the
purchase value of electricity, gas, steam and water resold
(redistributed) is also included in domestic sales of electricity,
gas, steam and water supply, causing a significant part of the
growth.

In the first four months, the domestic
sales of manufacturing rose by 0.2% and by 6.5% in April.

In April 2008 the output of
manufacturing increased by 12.3% (at a greater pace than in the
previous month) compared to the same month of 2007, while the volume
of mining and quarrying (having little weight) grew outstandingly, by
34.5%. The output of electricity, gas and water supply exceeded the
level of the previous year by 5.5%, partly owing to the colder
weather compared to the previous year (in April 2008 the temperature
was by 1.5°C lower than the average of April 2007 – according
to the Hungarian Meteorological Service).

An effect of low base was observed in
most branches of manufacturing, too. Among the major manufacturing
subsections, the production of machinery and equipment grew at the
highest rate, by 30.1%, partly owing to the investments of capacity
extension. The volume of transport equipment (giving more than one
fifth of manufacturing) exceeded the level of the same month of 2008
remarkably, by 20.5%. The value of orders also reflects the sustained
growth. An above average (18.3%) volume growth was in manufacture of
basic metals and fabricated metal products, first of all due to the
running up of export sales. The output of electrical and optical
equipment (representing one fourth of manufacturing, giving the
greatest weight) rose by 7.6%. For the first time this year the
production of food, beverages and tobacco (representing one tenth of
manufacturing) increased by 4.7%. In April 2008 a fall (almost the
same rate) was observed only in two subsections of manufacturing. The
volume of textiles and textile products declined by 2.4%, as well as
that of pulp, paper and paper products; publishing and printing by
2.5%.

In April 2008, the total new orders of
the observed branches of manufacturing increased by 8.4% compared to
the same period of the previous year. The volume of new export orders
rose by 9.5%, while that of new domestic orders grew to a lesser
degree, by 3.9%. The volume of total stock of orders was above the
level of April 2007 by 1.9%.

The labour productivity of industrial
enterprises having 5 or more employees was by 8.4% higher in the
first four months of the year than in the same period of 2007, beside
an 0.2% decline in the number of employees.

In the first four months of 2008 among
the seven regions of Hungary a decrease of production was observed
only in one, in Southern Great Plain (1%) compared to the same period
of 2007. The greatest increase was in Central Hungary (12%).