France’s factory output fell 1 per cent in May 2026, ending two months of growth; total industrial production slipped 0.1 per cent.
Textiles, apparel, leather and related products rose 4.6 per cent after April’s fall, but stayed 2.9 per cent lower YoY.
March-May industry output rose 2.4 per cent and manufacturing 2.2 per cent YoY, signalling uneven demand for supply chains.
The decline was broad-based across major manufacturing sectors. Output of transport equipment fell by 2.8 per cent after rising 3.3 per cent in April.
Output of other industrial products declined 0.4 per cent after easing 0.1 per cent in April.
Within manufacturing, textiles, wearing apparel, leather and related products stood out as one of the few sectors to post growth, rising 4.6 per cent in May after declining 3.7 per cent in April. However, the sector remained 2.9 per cent lower than the same period last year, INSEE said in a press release.
Outside manufacturing, mining, quarrying, energy and water supply rebounded 3.2 per cent after falling 1.0 per cent in April.
INSEE attributed the increase to higher electricity and gas demand caused by cooler temperatures in mid-May followed by a heatwave towards the end of the month.
Despite the monthly setback, France’s industrial sector continued to show positive annual momentum. Cumulative output during March-May 2026 increased 2.4 per cent compared with the same period a year earlier, while manufacturing output rose 2.2 per cent.
Transport equipment remained the strongest-performing manufacturing segment, with output up 10.9 per cent year on year (YoY) over the three-month period, while mining, quarrying, energy and water supply increased 3.1 per cent.
Fibre2Fashion News Desk
