Manufacturing continues to grow for the third month running: up 0.5% in April, reaching a two-year high
The average was driven by the automotive sector (+45% year-on-year), which is rebounding from its lows. The pharmaceuticals and machinery sectors also performed well. The fashion sector is down
by Luca Orlando
Industrial production has risen for the third consecutive month, increasing by 0.5% in April and by 1.3% year-on-year.
Once again, the driving force comes from the car sector, which is the best-performing transport sector, having grown by almost 18 points over the month, rebounding from its lows.
Although the surge in car sales is spectacular, with a 45% jump, this is merely a recovery of what was previously lost, with April 2025 down by over 30% compared with the same period last year. On a year-on-year basis, the index has now returned to exactly the same levels as two years ago.
However, manufacturing growth in April was not limited to the automotive sector but was widespread across the pharmaceuticals, machinery, and rubber and plastics sectors. The figure for the first four months of the year has therefore improved slightly, rising to 0.6%.
Among the few sectors bucking the trend, the textile and clothing sector stands out, with production falling by almost nine percentage points. In the first four months of the year, the sector saw a 4.4% decline, a drop surpassed only by the chemicals sector (-5.3%), which nevertheless recorded slight growth in April.
