Romanian Industrial Output Decline Eases in August

Industrial production in Romania fell by 2.7% year-on-year in August 2026, easing from a 6.1% drop in the previous month, which marked a more than one-year low. Activity in mining and quarrying rose to its highest level in more than five years (7.8% vs 1.4% in July), driven by a surge in the mining of metal ores and other mining and quarrying activities, alongside a less pronounced contraction in coal and lignite output. At the same time, output declined at a softer pace in manufacturing (-3.4% vs -7.2%), with notable increases in the manufacture of beverages, computer, electronic and optical products, electrical equipment, and other transport equipment. Contraction also eased in electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply (-1.2% vs -2.0%). On a monthly basis, industrial production rose by 1.6% in August, rebounding from a revised 1.3% decline in the previous month.

Industrial production in Romania declined 6.1% year-on-year in July 2026, following a revised 5.1% drop in June and marking the sharpest fall since March 2025. Manufacturing output fell further (-7.2% vs -6.0%), with sharper declines in most subsectors, notably coke and refined petroleum products (-27.8% vs -21.6%), basic pharmaceutical products and pharmaceutical preparations (-26.2% vs -8.4%), other transport equipment (-28.3% vs -27.2%), computer, electronic and optical products (-20.3% vs 10.5%), chemicals and chemical products (-15.2% vs -14.3%), furniture (-12.4% vs -9.9%), and basic metals (-11.5% vs -5.7%). Meanwhile, output in mining and quarrying rebounded (1.2% vs -0.8%), while electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply contracted at a softer pace (-2.7% vs -3.0%). On a monthly basis, industrial output decreased 1.4%, after a revised 0.5% drop in June. In the January–July period, industrial production was 3.8% lower than a year earlier.

Industrial output in Romania declined by 5.2% year-on-year in June 2026, easing slightly from a revised 5.4% drop in May, which was the sharpest fall since March 2025. The contraction moderated in mining and quarrying (-0.5% vs. -4.7% in May). In contrast, manufacturing output fell further (-6.0% vs. -5.7%), weighed down by declines in beverages (-9.8% vs. -8.9%), coke and refined petroleum products (-21.6% vs. -13.9%), chemicals and chemical products (-14.1% vs. -1.8%), pharmaceuticals and pharmaceutical preparations (-7.5% vs. -0.7%), and motor vehicles, trailers and semi-trailers (-15.5% vs. -15.4%). The contraction also deepened in electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply (-2.5% vs. -2.2%). On a monthly basis, industrial output fell by a softer 0.7% in June, following a 2.8% decline in May. In January-June, industrial production was 3.5% lower than in the corresponding period last year.