France Industrial Output Falls Unexpectedly

(RTTNews) - France's industrial production logged an unexpected monthly fall in May, figures from the statistical office INSEE revealed on Friday.

Industrial output slid 0.5 percent month-on-month in May, confounding expectations for an increase of 0.4 percent. Nonetheless, the pace of decline was less severe than the 1.4 percent decline posted in April.

Meanwhile, the decline in manufacturing output deepened to 1.0 percent from 0.7 percent a month ago.

Data showed that manufacture of food products and beverages, coke and refined petroleum products, machinery and equipment goods and other manufacturing declined from the previous month.

The manufacture of transport equipment alone registered a monthly growth, which rebounded 0.9 percent.

Further, output bounced back in mining and quarrying, energy, water supply, by 2.0 percent after a 5.0 fall, data showed.