Industrial stocks up €514.8m in first quarter

Total stocks held by industry showed an increased of €514.8m in the first quarter of 2006, following a decrease of €58.2m in the fourth quarter of 2005.

The principal reason for the first-quarter change was an increase of €372.1m in work-in-progress.

The breakdown of the components of stocks shows an increase of €52.1m in stocks of materials and fuel held in NACE 24, the chemical products sector, in the first quarter of 2006 following an increase of €19.9m in the previous quarter.

There was an increase of €67.1m in stocks of finished goods held in NACE 33, the medical equipment sector, in the first quarter, following a decrease of €7.3m in the previous quarter.

Stocks of work-in-progress goods held in NACE 32, the communication equipment sector, which had increased by €8.8m in the fourth quarter, increased by €193.8m in the first quarter of 2006.