By Ed Frankl
French industrial production rebounded more than expected in April, suggesting that some pressures on output could be easing as supply bottlenecks loosen, despite the squeeze on spending caused by high inflation and rising interest rates.
Industrial output–comprising output in manufacturing, energy and construction–rose 0.8% on month in April, after falling by 1.1% in March, data from the country’s statistics office Insee showed Friday.
The reading is a little better than the 0.4% increase expected by economists in a poll by The Wall Street Journal
Manufacturing output–the biggest component of industrial production–rose by 0.7% on month in April, with production in the mining, energy and water industries increasing by 1.8%.
Food production, however, fell by 0.3%, while construction rebounded, rising 0.8% after falling in March.
Data from France’s purchasing managers survey on Thursday showed a declining manufacturing trend in May, albeit marginally less pronounced compared with April, as the sector struggles from the effects of inflation and rising interest rates in a gloomy economic climate for industrial production across much of Europe.
Write to Ed Frankl at edward.frankl@wsj.com