According to the latest data released by Eurostat, the euro area industrial new orders index rose by 1.9% and in the EU new orders increased by 0.4% in August 2011 compared with July 2011. Excluding ships, railway and aerospace equipment, for which changes tend to be more volatile, industrial new orders rose by 0.7% in the euro area and by 0.5% in the EU.

Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union published the latest estimates on the industrial new orders in Europe. In August 2011 compared with July 2011, the euro area industrial new orders index rose by 1.9%. In July the index dropped by 1.6%. In the EU new orders increased by 0.4% in August 2011, after a fall of 0.6% in July. Excluding ships, railway & aerospace equipment, for which changes tend to be more volatile, industrial new orders rose by 0.7% in the euro area and by 0.5% in the EU.

The new orders index measures the value of future deliveries of products and services (which are directly linked to these products) to be provided by a producer to a third party on the domestic and non-domestic market. Eurostat also warns that due to the volatility of industrial new orders, the figures can vary significantly from month to month and therefore short term movements should be interpreted with caution.

In August 2011 compared with July 2011, new orders for capital goods rose by 2.7% in the euro area and by 1.1% in the EU. These data compared with August 2010 rose by 7.8% in the euro area and by 8.2% in the EU. Non-durable consumer goods increased by 1.2% and 0.5% respectively. Compared to August 2010, non-durable consumer goods gained 4.3% in the euro area and 2.3% in the EU. Intermediate goods gained 1.1% in both zones and compared to August 2010 increased by 6.1% and 6.9% respectively. Durable consumer goods fell by 0.8% in the euro area and by 1.8% in the EU. In August 2011 compared with August 2010, durable consumer goods fell by 3.1% and 8.4% respectively.

With regard to the data issued by Member States, total manufacturing working on orders rose in fifteen and fell in seven. The highest increases were registered in Slovakia (+12.6%), Estonia (+11.2%), Hungary (+11.1%) and Latvia (+6.8%), and the largest decreases in Denmark (-8.0%), the Netherlands (-5.3%) and Ireland (-4.0%). In August 2011 compared with August 2010, total manufacturing working on orders rose in eighteen and fell in four. The highest increases were registered in Estonia (+41.1%), Bulgaria (+25.3%), Lithuania (+19.3%) and Latvia (+15.8%), and the largest decreases in Denmark (-9.1%) and the Czech Republic (-5.5%).