Drop in new orders

An overall drop of 2.2 per cent was registered in the total industrial new orders index in April this year as compared to last April.

The National Statistics Office said that the domestic new orders index registered a drop of 27.7 per cent while new orders for export increased by 12.4 per cent.

Increases were registered in, among others, the manufacture of chemicals and chemical products (57.6 per cent) and the manufacture of fabricated metal products, except machinery (16.4 per cent).

On the other hand, decreases were registered in, among others, the manufacture of textiles and textile products (52 per cent) and the manufacture of wearing apparel (45.6 per cent).