The monthly Index of Industrial Production (IIP) is a business cycle indicator. It provides an early measure of change in the volume of industrial output produced by domestic businesses in the manufacturing, energy, and quarrying sectors in Malta.
Total industrial output – annual comparison
In April 2023, the index of industrial production went up by 14.3 per cent when compared to the corresponding month in 2022. When excluding energy, the index went up by 10.6 per cent (Chart 1).
Chart 1. Annual comparison of the total industrial production
% change compared to the corresponding month of the previous year
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Manufacturing output – annual comparison
In April 2023, manufacturing output went up by 10.3 per cent. The largest upward change was registered in the production of chemical and pharmaceutical products (54.4 per cent), followed by the production of computer, electronic and optical products and motor vehicles (14.9 per cent) and the production of food products and beverages (11.2 per cent). On the other hand, a downward change was registered in the production of rubber, plastic and other non-metallic mineral products (4.1 per cent) (Chart 2).
Chart 2. Manufacturing output - annual comparison by selected aggregates
% change compared to the corresponding month of the previous year
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Industrial output – annual comparison by main industrial grouping
The Main Industrial Groupings (MIGs) provide an alternative statistical breakdown of economic activities classified according to end-use categories. They combine several NACE divisions, groups and classes together (see methodological table for further information).
In April 2023, the production of energy, consumer goods and capital goods increased by 31.9 per cent, 20.3 per cent and 4.3 per cent respectively. On the contrary, the production of intermediate goods decreased by 0.3 per cent (Chart 3).
Chart 3. Annual comparison by main industrial grouping
% change compared to the corresponding month of the previous year
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Seasonally adjusted industrial production – monthly comparison
A clearer picture of the economic developments can be obtained when indices are adjusted for seasonal effects. These recurring effects are removed from the index series to enable month-to month comparisons (see methodological points 5 and 6).
The seasonally adjusted index of industrial production for April 2023 decreased by 2.5 per cent when compared to March 2023 and stood at 112.6 index points (2015=100) (Chart 4).
Chart 4. Seasonally adjusted index of industrial production
Index (2015 = 100)
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Additional Tables and Charts
Methodological Notes
1. This Index of Industrial Production is a Principal European Economic Indicator (PEEI) and compiled in accordance with Commission Regulation (EU) 2019/2152 and Commission Implementing Regulation 2020/1197 of the European Parliament and of the Council on European Business Statistics. The NSO has also adopted methodologies and guidelines recommended by Eurostat and the United Nations.
2. The Maltese Index of Industrial Production is calculated using a Laspeyres-type index (2015=100). Aggregation weights are updated every five years and the gross value added is used as the weighting variable. The whole series is available from the year 2000 onwards.
3. The sample covers 80 per cent of the total industrial turnover and the number of surveyed businesses is around 200. A combination of cut-off and stratified random sampling techniques are used. The volume of industrial production is calculated using three methods: the physical quantities of output, the deflated turnover and the number of hours worked.
4. In this news release, Energy refers to NACE D35 only – Electricity, gas steam and air conditioning supply. It excludes B05 – mining of coal and lignite, B06 – extraction of crude petroleum and natural gas, C19 – manufacture of coke and refined petroleum products and E36 – water, collection, treatment and supply. The index excludes the electricity supply imported via the Malta-Sicily Interconnector.
5. Year-on-year comparisons refer to indices that are calendar adjusted while month-on-month comparisons refer to calendar and seasonally adjusted index numbers. These adjustments aid interpretation of data by removing regularly recurring variations from a time series. The officially recommended software JDemetra+ is used to adjust all series in this news release.
6. The calendar effect is the variation caused by the changing number of working/trading days, fixed and moving holidays, leap year and other calendar-related phenomena. The seasonal effect is the variation caused by any pattern that repeats on a regular basis in the same period each year.
7. The average weighted response rate for this indicator is around 80%. The data is to be considered as provisional and therefore subject to revision.
8. The aggregation weights (gross value added) of the various categories used for the calculation of the Index of Industrial Production for the year 2015 (base year) are as follows:
| NACE Section | NACE Divisions | Description | Share |
| B | 8 | Mining and Quarrying | 0.00 |
| C | 13, 14, 25, 27, 28 and 31 to 33 | Other manufacturing | 0.31 |
| 10 and 11 | Food products and beverages | 0.22 | |
| 26 and 29 | Computer, electronic and optical products and motor vehicles | 0.10 | |
| 22 to 23 | Rubber, plastic products and other non-metallic mineral products | 0.09 | |
| 16 to 18 | Wood, paper products and printing | 0.09 | |
| 20 and 21 | Chemicals and pharmaceuticals products | 0.09 | |
| D | 35 | Energy | 0.08 |
| Total (Sections B, C and D) | 1.00 |
| Main Industrial Grouping | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Capital Goods | Capital goods are physical assets used by businesses to produce consumer (final) goods | Machinery equipment |
| Intermediate goods | Intermediate goods, also called semi-finished goods are products used as inputs to produce a consumer (final) good | Rubber and plastic products |
| Consumer goods | Consumer goods, also called final goods are products that are readily available for consumption by consumers. These goods do not undergo further transformation in production | Food products and beverages |
| Energy | Energy refers to the production of electricity | Electricity excluding supply imported via the Malta-Sicily Interconnector |
9. More information relating to this news release may be accessed at:
Sources and Methods
Statistical Concepts
Metadata
Classifications
10. A detailed news release calendar is available online.
- In April 2023, industrial output increased by 14.3 per cent when compared to April 2022.
- The largest upward change in the industrial production was registered in the manufacturing of chemical and pharmaceutical products (54.4 per cent).
- When compared to the previous month, total industrial production decreased by 2.5 per cent.
