PARIS (dpa-AFX) - France's industrial production fell to the worst level in four months in March, data from the statistical office INSEE showed on Friday.
Industrial production declined 0.9 percent year-on-year in March, after edging up 0.1 percent in February. Economists had expected production to fall 0.5 percent.
The latest decline in production was the worst since November last year, when it fell 0.9 percent.
Manufacturing output fell a seasonally adjusted 1.0 percent in March, after a 0.8 percent rise in February.
The monthly decrease was driven by a 1.9 percent fall in the manufacture of coke and refined petroleum products and a 2.0 percent drop in other manufacturing.
Among the main industrial groupings, consumer non-durables fell the most by 3.0 percent in March. Energy, capital goods and intermediate goods production decreased by 0.9 percent, 0.3 percent and 0.2 percent, respectively.
Meanwhile, production of consumer durables rose 3.0 percent.
On a year-on-year basis, industrial production declined 0.9 percent in March, after a 0.5 percent increase in February. Economists had expected a 0.1 percent fall in production.
Manufacturing output climbed 0.5 percent annually in March, after a 2.6 percent rise in the prior month.
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