Industrial turnover in the first quarter of this year dropped by 2.4 per cent over the previous quarter, according to the National Statistics Office.

Declines in turnover were registered in all main industrial groupings.

Seasonally adjusted industrial employment edged up by 1.3 per cent primarily as the result of an increase in employment in the intermediate and consumer goods sectors.

Declines in employment were registered in the sectors of energy and capital goods.

Industrial hours worked, adjusted for seasonal effects, went up by 0.8 per cent whereas seasonally adjusted wages and salaries decreased by one per cent, from 106.8 points in the fourth quarter of 2013 to 105.7 points in the subsequent period.

When compared to the first quarter last year, working-day adjusted industrial turnover decreased by 8.8 per cent, mainly attributable to a drop of 21 per cent in intermediate goods.

This decline was partially mitigated by a 12 per cent increase in capital goods.

Year-on-year data indicate that industrial employment went down by 0.3 per cent, resulting from a decline in all main industrial groupings except for intermediate goods, the latter showing a 1.6 per cent rise.

Industrial hours worked, adjusted for calendar effects, went down by 1.3 per cent while working-day adjusted industrial wages and salaries increased, also by 1.3 per cent.

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