Sweden's industrial production increased for the second straight month in September, defying economists' expectations for a decrease, while orders grew sharply, preliminary figures from Statistics Sweden showed Thursday.
Industrial production rose a seasonally adjusted 2.0 percent month-over-month in September, but slower than the 4.5 percent gain in the previous month, which was revised from 4.7 percent. Economists had expected a 0.5 percent fall for the month.
Manufacturing production grew the same 2.0 percent monthly in September, while mining and quarrying output dipped by 4.3 percent.
On annual basis, industrial production expanded notably by 6.3 percent in September, exceeding economists' expectations for a 3.3 percent climb. In August, production had risen 2.4 percent.
Industrial orders jumped 22.3 percent monthly in September, following a 0.1 percent mere increase in the preceding month. It was also the second successive monthly rise.
Export market orders surged 45.3 percent over the previous month, while domestic market orders fell by 1.6 percent.
Annually, growth in orders quickened sharply to 32.8 percent in September from 8.3 percent in August. Orders climbed on both the export and domestic markets by 56.9 percent and 7.3 percent, respectively.
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