The number of industrial new orders within the eurozone increased by 0.9 per cent in April this year, potentially fuelling employment opportunities in the manufacturing sector.

Latest figures from the European Union (EU) statistics agency revealed a 0.2 per cent dip across the whole 27 member nations from March's total.

Compared with the previous month, April saw a climb in industrial new orders following an increase of 5.1 per cent in March 2010.

In addition, excluding railway, ships and aerospace production in both regions, the rise was 1.1 per cent within the euro 16 countries and by 0.9 per cent across the EU27.

Over the year to April 2010, orders were 22.1 per cent higher in states that have adopted the euro and 21.8 per cent above 2009 in all nations in the region.

Manufacturing data was improved in 11 countries for which figures were released and declined in ten, with particularly high jumps in Hungary (11 per cent) and Portugal (7.7 per cent).

As the economic recovery continues, Eurostat revealed recently that hourly labor costs across the eurozone were 2.1 per cent higher year on year during the first three months of 2010 and up by 2.2 per cent for the EU27.

Posted by Alex Donnell