Core Sector Growth Slows Down To Four-Month Low In September

Growth of eight infrastructure sectors slowed down to 4.3 percent in September, the lowest in the last four months, as production of crude oil and natural gas declined.

Previously, the lowest growth rate was in May when the core sectors expanded at 4.1 percent.

Eight infrastructure sectors of coal, crude oil, natural gas, refinery products, fertilisers, steel, cement and electricity had grown 4.7 percent in September 2017.

The output of crude oil and natural gas dipped 4.2 percent and 1.8 percent, respectively, in the month under review, according to the data released by the Commerce and Industry Ministry today.

Fertiliser, cement and electricity output grew 2.5 percent, 11.8 percent, and 8.2 percent, respectively. However, the growth of coal, refinery products, and steel sectors declined to 6.4 percent, 2.5 percent and 3.2 percent, respectively, in September.

During the April-September period, the core sector growth was 5.5 percent against 3.2 percent in the year-ago period. These eight segments comprise 40.27 percent of the weight of the items included in the Index of Industrial Production.