Industry growth slips to 7-month low of 3.2%

•  Industrial production growth slipped to a seven-month low of 3.2 per cent in May mainly due sluggish performance of manufacturing and power sectors coupled with poor offtake of fast moving consumer goods (FMCG).
• During April-May this fiscal, the IIP recorded a growth of 4.4 per cent as compared to 3.1 per cent in same period year ago.

Important highlights:

• The manufacturing sector, which constitutes 77.63 per cent of the index, grew by just 2.8 per cent in May, marginally up from 2.6 per cent in the corresponding period last year.
• Power generation growth decelerated sharply to 4.2 per cent during the month as compared to a high of 8.3 per cent year ago.
• The mining sector output recorded an impressive growth of 5.7 per cent in May as against 0.3 per cent in May last year.
• The FMCG sector was the worst performer among the user based goods segment, as its output declined by 2.6 per cent as against a growth of 9.7 per cent year ago.
• Growth rates in May 2018 over May 2017 are 5.7 per cent in primary goods, 7.6 per cent in capital goods, 0.9 per cent in intermediate goods and 4.9 per cent in infrastructure/construction goods. The consumer durables and have recorded growth of 4.3 per cent in the month under review.
• Industry group ‘manufacture of computer, electronic and optical products’ has shown the highest positive growth of 27 per cent followed by 21.1 per cent in ‘manufacture of motor vehicles, trailers and semi-trailers’ and 13.2 per cent in ‘manufacture of furniture.
• On the other hand, the industry group ‘other manufacturing’ has shown the highest negative growth of (-) 31.9 per cent followed by (-) 15.6 per cent in ‘manufacture of tobacco products’ and (-) 12.8 per cent in ‘manufacture of wearing apparel, it said
• In terms of industries, 13 out of 23 industry groups in the manufacturing sector have shown positive growth during May 2018 as compared to the corresponding month of the previous year.

By: Vishal