Spanish factories are raising output as the jobs-scarce economy gingerly picks itself up after a long recession, official data showed Friday.
Spanish industry pushed up production at annual rate of 1.7 percent in December, after correcting for seasonal blips, following a 2.4-percent surge the previous month, the National Statistics Institute said.
Factories, mines and energy utilities appeared to be ramping up output as the eurozone's fourth-largest economy emerged from five years of stop-start recession, which pushed the jobless rate above 26 percent.
The latest figures nevertheless showed a 9.1-percent drop in production of durable consumer goods such as cars or washing machines in December, offset by a 2.2-percent increase in output of other, non-durable consumer goods such as paper or foods.
Output of business equipment climbed 2.2 percent and intermediate goods used in manufacturing, such as chemicals, rose 1.2 percent. Utilities raised energy output by 0.7 percent.
Spanish factories are raising output as the jobs-scarce economy gingerly picks itself up after a long recession, official data showed Friday.
Spanish industry pushed up production at annual rate of 1.7 percent in December, after correcting for seasonal blips, following a 2.4-percent surge the previous month, the National Statistics Institute said.
Factories, mines and energy utilities appeared to be ramping up output as the eurozone’s fourth-largest economy emerged from five years of stop-start recession, which pushed the jobless rate above 26 percent.
The latest figures nevertheless showed a 9.1-percent drop in production of durable consumer goods such as cars or washing machines in December, offset by a 2.2-percent increase in output of other, non-durable consumer goods such as paper or foods.
Output of business equipment climbed 2.2 percent and intermediate goods used in manufacturing, such as chemicals, rose 1.2 percent. Utilities raised energy output by 0.7 percent.
