Japan’s major automakers cut output in April

September 11th, 2009 BEIJING - China's industrial output accelerated 12.3 percent in August from a year earlier, after gaining 10.8 percent in July, the National Bureau of Statistics said Friday. The August growth rate was 0.5 percentage points lower than the growth figure for the like month last year, but 1.5 percentage points up from July.

July 20th, 2009 World steel output down 21 pct in first 6 monthsBRUSSELS — World steel output plunged 21.3 percent in the first six months of 2009 from a year ago, the main steel industry group said Monday. Chinese and Indian steel makers were the only major producers to increase output in the first half, the World Steel Association said.

July 14th, 2009 EU car makers expect 25 pct output drop in 2009BRUSSELS — Car output in Europe is likely to fall by a quarter this year as government handouts to car buyers fail to halt a major slump, EU car makers said Tuesday. European car manufacturer association ACEA said "cash-for-clunkers" programs in 13 European nations had helped boost sales of small cars but had failed to make a major dent in overall demand.

July 14th, 2009 Euro industry output down 17 pct in MayBRUSSELS — Industrial output in the 16 nations that use the euro sank 17 percent in May from a year earlier, the EU statistics agency said Tuesday, a somewhat milder drop than in the previous two months. Demand for European goods at home and abroad has slumped dramatically during the downturn.

July 10th, 2009 NEW DELHI - India's industrial production registered 2.7 percent growth in May - the highest since September last year - signalling economic recovery, fresh data showed Friday. The index of industrial production (IIP) had expanded by 1.4 percent in April, signalling the early signs of recovery.

July 7th, 2009 UK mfg output down 1.2 percent in quarterLONDON — The government is reporting that U.K. manufacturing output fell by 1.2 percent in the March-May quarter compared to the previous three months.

June 25th, 2009 Japan auto production tumbles again in MayTOKYO — Global production at Japan's top automakers tumbled in May, hit by a lingering slump in demand and uncertainty over a recovery in the battered industry. Toyota Motor Corp., the world's biggest carmaker, said Thursday its worldwide output dropped 38.8 percent from a year earlier to 442,621 vehicles — the 10th straight monthly decline.

June 12th, 2009 Euro zone industrial output slumps in AprilLONDON — Industrial production in the 16 countries that use the euro slumped in April, official figures showed Friday, stoking fears that the euro zone remains in the grip of recession despite signs elsewhere that a recovery of sorts may be underway. The European Union's statistics office Eurostat said a 1.9 percent drop in April — the eighth consecutive monthly fall — pushed the annual rate of decline down to a record 21.6 percent.

June 12th, 2009 NEW DELHI - India's industrial output grew 1.4 percent in April as against a decline of 0.75 percent in March, in what analysts said can be taken as early signs of recovery. Data on index of industrial production (IIP) released by the commerce ministry Friday showed that the growth also came after two successive months of decline and was led mainly by a 7.1 percent increase in electricity generation.

May 29th, 2009 TOKYO - Japan's industrial output rose at the fastest rate for almost 60 years in April, but the overall economic picture was more mixed, with the jobless rate for the month the worst in five years, government reports said. Earlier in the week, the Japanese government upgraded its overall monthly assessment of its economy, saying that the pace of slowdown had become moderate with improvements in industrial production and exports.

May 12th, 2009 NEW DELHI - India's industrial output fell for the third consecutive time in four months in March by a steep 2.3 percent compared to the same month last year, according to data released by the government Tuesday. Production in the manufacturing sector declined 3.3 percent during the month under review from the year earlier.

April 23rd, 2009 Japan automakers extend output slump in MarchTOKYO — Japan's top automakers reported deep production declines in March as the unprecedented collapse in global demand maintained its painful grip on one of the country's key industries. Toyota Motor Corp., the world's biggest automaker, said its worldwide production slid 46 percent in March from a year earlier to 472,036 vehicles as overseas demand plunged by more than two-thirds.

April 9th, 2009 NEW DELHI - India's industrial output fell 1.2 percent in February against a growth of 9.5 percent in the like month of last fiscal, while the provisional drop reported for January has been revised now to a marginal growth of 0.39 percent. As per data on index for industrial production (IIP) released Thursday, manufacturing output, which accounts for the bulk of the weight in the overall index, declined 1.4 percent in February, against 9.6 percent growth in the like month of last year.

February 10th, 2009 KOLKATA - Wheat output this fiscal would match last year's level of 78.4 million tonnes following recent rains in northern India, a top official said here Wednesday. 'There has been improvement in the prospect of wheat crop yield after the rains, which has brought down the temperature.

December 25th, 2008 TOKYO - Japan's industrial output suffered a record fall in November, as unemployment numbers rose and slowing inflation rates caused deflation fears, officials said Friday. The Ministry for Economy, Trade and Industry said production dropped by 8.1 percent compared to the previous month, the largest drop on record since 1953, as foreign demand in cars or electronic goods plunged, dealing a heavy blow to Japan's export-oriented industry.