2002's industrial output up about 6%

Eleven months through 2002, Romania’s industrial output was registering 5.8% growth compared with the corresponding period in 2001, solely because of the growth in the processing industry. Output increased by 13.4% for durables, while the output of nondurables was 9% higher. Capital goods were the slowest moving of all, as output went up only 0.5%. The energy producing industry saw output shrinking by 0.5% throughout January-November. As for November, the industrial output went up 7% compared with November 2001. The Development and Prognosis Ministry estimates show the industrial output to increase by 6.5% in 2003 compared to 2002, with the processing industry again as the drive behind this growth and estimated to increase faster than the entire sector’s average. Also throughout January-November 2002 the turnover of the retail trade sector went up only 0.7%, although sales of non-foodstuffs increased 7.7% compared with the same time in 2001. The revenues derived from the sale of vehicles and motorbikes, as well as from fuel retailing fell 8.7% during the same interval.  ZF