The euro area industrial new orders index increased by 2.3 percent in May 2006 compared to April 2006, said Eurostat, the Statistical Office of the European Union (EU), here on Monday.

According to Eurostat, the index decreased by 0.8 percent in April and 1.3 percent in March for the 12-member eurozone.

As for the EU25 as a whole, the industrial new orders rose by 1.5 percent in May 2006, after remaining stable in April and falling by 1.1 percent in March.

Excluding ships, railway and aerospace equipment, industrial new orders grew by 1.9 percent in May 2006 in the euro area and by 1.4 percent in the EU25, said Eurostat.

From the annual aspect, in May 2006 compared to May 2005, industrial new orders increased by 14.2 percent in the euro area and by 13.0 percent in the EU25. Total industry excluding ships, railway and aerospace equipment grew by 16.1 percent in the euro area and by 15.0 percent in the EU25.

By sector, in the eurozone transport equipment was up 4.3 percent in May from April, textiles and textile products rose 3.0 percent, chemicals and chemical products increased 1.8 percent, basic metals and fabricated metal products gained 1.7 percent, and electrical and electronic equipment edged up 0.5 percent, while machinery and equipment declined 0.6 percent.

Year-on-year, basic metals and fabricated metal products jumped 27.0 percent, machinery and equipment climbed 19.2 percent, chemicals and chemical products increased 11.5 percent, textiles and textile products rose 8.1 percent, and transport equipment was up 6.9 percent.

Source: Xinhua