French Aug industrial output up 0.8 pct from July

Seasonally-adjusted French industrial output for August was up 0.8 pct from July, following a 1.4 pct decline in July from June, according to data from the Insee statistics office. A consensus forecast of analysts polled by AFX News had expected the August figure to be up 0.7 pct. Insee said the July figure was revised from a provisional 1.3 pct fall. Manufacturing output, which excludes food and energy, was up 0.9 pct in August, compared with a 1.5 pct fall the month before. Economists had forecast a rise of 0.6 pct for this component. Food output was up 0.9 pct on the month, after a fall of 0.8 pct last time, while for consumer goods it increased 0.2 pct, compared with a drop of 0.8 pct last time. Automobile output increased 3.6 pct in August after a 1.3 pct drop in July, and capital goods production was down 1.8 pct after easing 0.9 pct in July. Intermediate goods production rose 2.0 pct in August after a 2.3 pct decline in July, and energy output was up 1.2 pct in August after a 1.3 pct decline the month before.