Euro zone industrial production contracted in January 2026, marking a sharp turnaround from the previous month’s growth. Year-over-year output fell by 1.2%, compared with a 1.2% increase recorded in December 2025, according to data updated on 13 March 2026.
The figures are based on annual comparisons, with each month measured against the same month a year earlier. December’s reading showed industrial activity still expanding on a yearly basis, but January’s negative print points to renewed weakness in the manufacturing and industrial sectors across the currency bloc. This reversal underscores the fragility of the euro area’s industrial recovery as it entered 2026.