HK's Industrial Production Index Rises Slightly in Q1

HK's industrial production index for manufacturing sector rose 0.4 percent in the first quarter over a year earlier, while the corresponding producer price index recorded a year-on-year rise of 4 percent, the city's Census and Statistics Department said on Monday.

The food, beverages and tobacco industry had the largest increase of 6.4 percent in output volume, followed by the metal, computer, electronic and optical products, machinery and equipment, it said.

Falls in output volume were recorded in apparel, textiles and the paper products, printing and reproduction of recorded media industries. Output volume of apparel in the first quarter this year fell most by 20.1 percent.

On a seasonally adjusted basis, the index of industrial production for manufacturing industries as a whole rose 2.9 percent in the first quarter over the fourth quarter last year.

In the first quarter, the metal, computer, electronic and optical products, machinery and equipment industry recorded the largest year-on-year increase in producer prices by 8.2 percent.

Decreases in producer prices were seen in the paper products, printing and reproduction of recorded media, textiles and the apparel industries.