INDIA: Growth of six core sectors slows to 5.2% in April

A decline in cement output and lower finished steel production slowed down the growth of the six core infrastructure industries to 5.2% in April.

The six core industries -- crude oil, petroleum refinery products, coal, electricity, cement and finished steel -- had expanded by 7.5% in the year-ago period.

According to provisional data released today, production of cement declined by 1.1% in April this year, as against a growth of 8.8% in the same month of 2010. Growth of finished steel production slowed down to 4.3% during the month under review, compared to 12.9% expansion in April last year.

In addition, electricity output grew by just 6.8% in April this year, as against 6.9% in the same month of 2010. However, the other three sectors reported better growth during the month.

Crude oil production topped the table with growth of 11% in April, compared to 5.1% expansion in the corresponding year-ago period.

Petroleum refinery products registered a growth of 6.6% in April, as against an increase of 5.3% in the same month last year.

Coal output registered a growth of 2.9% in April, 2011, a complete turnaround in comparison to the same month last year, when output had contracted by 2.9%.

The slowdown comes a month after the six core infrastructure industries grew by 7.4% in March, 2011. During the 2010-11 fiscal, the sectors had expanded by 5.9%, as against 5.5% in the previous year.