In March 2026, seasonally adjusted industrial production (IP) increased by +0.2% in the euro area and by +0.8% in the EU compared with February 2026, according to preliminary estimates from Eurostat.
Compared with March 2025, industrial production in March 2026 declined by -2.1% in the euro area and by -1.0% in the EU.
Eurostat publishes data for IP rather than manufacturing output specifically, so the figures are not directly comparable with the UK. Industrial production includes manufacturing – the largest component – as well as energy and utilities output. However, the definition of capital goods is broadly comparable.
Month-on-month data shows output in the capital goods sub-sector increased by +1.2% in the EU and by +1.1% in the euro area. Capital goods was the strongest-performing sub-sector in the euro area, although in the EU as a whole it was slightly outperformed by intermediate goods.
On a year-on-year basis (March 2026 versus March 2025), capital goods was again the best-performing sub-sector, with output increasing by +3.0% in the EU and by +2.9% in the euro area.
Looking at 12-month trends across Member States, total industrial production increased in 19 of the 27 EU countries and declined in seven, while the Netherlands had not yet reported data. The strongest increases were recorded in Denmark (+16.8%), Latvia (+9.5%) and Greece (+8.4%), while the largest declines were seen in Ireland (-19.4%), Luxembourg (-5.7%) and Malta (-3.6%).
You can get the Eurostat data release from their website at https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/web/main/news/euro-indicators (13 May) or request it from MTA.