By Maria Martinez 
 

French industrial production rose in March, but less than expected, data from statistics agency Insee showed Friday.

Total industrial output --comprising output in manufacturing, energy and construction--increased 0.8% in March compared with February. Economists had forecast a 2.0% increase in March, according to a poll by The Wall Street Journal.

Insee also downwardly revised the on-month industrial production figure for February to a 4.8% decline, from a 4.7% drop previously.

Compared with February 2020--the last month before the coronavirus pandemic hit Europe-- total industrial output was down 5.9% in March 2021 in calendar-adjusted terms.

Manufacturing output was up 0.4% in March compared with the previous month and energy production rose 2.9%, while construction output fell 7.3%.

Write to Maria Martinez at maria.martinez@wsj.com

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

May 07, 2021 02:59 ET (06:59 GMT)

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