Malta registered the second largest drop in industrial production in November when compared to the previous month, the European Union statistical office said yesterday.

The biggest decline was registered in Portugal with a 4.9 per cent fall in production. In Malta, the figure was 3.7 per cent, followed by the Netherlands at 3.1 per cent. Estonia and Lithuania both registered a decrease of 2.6 per cent.

Eurostat said seasonally adjusted industrial production in November fell by 0.7 per cent in the euro area compared to October and by 0.6 per cent in the whole of the EU.

It put the Eurozone drop down to production of energy falling by 4.3 per cent, capital goods by 1.9 per cent and durable consumer goods by one per cent.