Qatar's Industrial Production Index Decreased in October

Doha, December 12 (QNA) - The Qatar's Industrial Production index (IPI), October 2018 amounted to 108.1 points, decreased by 0.6 percent compared to the previous month (September-2018), and stability was recorded, when compared to the corresponding month of 2017. Planning and Statistics Authority said the IPI consists of three main components: mining with a relative importance of 83.6 percent, manufacturing with a relative importance of 15.2 percent, electricity with a relative importance of 0.7 percent, and finally water with a relative importance of 0.5 percent. The analysis of the monthly IPI of the above activities as follows, mining a decreased by 1.1 percent compared to the previous month (September of 2018), as a result of the decrease in the quantities of crude oil and natural gas by 1.1 percent, while other mining and quarrying showed an increase by 1.1 percent. When compared to the corresponding month of the previous year (October 2017), the IPI of mining increased by 0.1 percent. Manufacturing showed an increase of 2.3 percent is recorded in October 2018 compared to the previous month (September-2018), due to the increase in production of seven groups: manufacture of cement, other non-metallic mineral products by 6.2 percent, manufacture of food products by 3.7 percent, manufacture of refined petroleum products by 2.6 percent, manufacture of chemicals and chemical products by 2.2 percent, manufacture of rubber and plastics products by 0.8 percent, manufacture of basic metals by 0.7 percent, manufacture of beverages by 0.1 percent. On the other hand, in terms of annual change, comparing to October 2017, an increase of 0.3 percent was recorded, affected by the following groups: manufacture of basic metals by 10.3 percent, manufacture of beverages by 7.8 percent, manufacture of rubber and plastics products by 2.9 percent, manufacture of refined petroleum products by 1.8 percent. However a fall recorded in printing and reproduction of recorded media by 9.6 percent; manufacture of cement other non-metallic mineral products by 3.7 percent, manufacture of chemicals and chemical products by 1.2 percent, and manufacture of food products by 0.8 percent. Electricity decreased by 8.0 percent in the production of electricity group between October 2018 and the previous month (September-2018), while the annual decrease (comparing with October 2017), was 2.5 percent. For Water, when compared October 2018 with the previous month, a decrease of 2.0 percent was noticed. Comparing with corresponding month (October 2017), a decrease of 15.5 percent was recorded. (QNA)