Core sector grows 3.5% in August

Eight infrastructure industries grew by 3.5% in August this year, down from 4.4% expansion witnessed in the same month last year.

The eight industries -- crude oil, petroleum refinery products, natural gas, fertilisers, coal, electricity, cement and finished steel-- have a weight of 37.90% in the overall Index of Industrial Production (IIP).

Electricity, steel and cement output grew by 8.9%, 7.7% and 7.2% in August, respectively, according to the provisional data released today.

In the same month last year, electricity production had grown by 1.6%, while steel and cement sectors had posted 10.8% and 1.6% expansion, respectively.

Crude oil production grew by 1.6% in the month under the review against 15.2% in the comparable period last year.

Petroleum refinery products output grew by 3.9% in August.

In the same month last year, the sector had witnessed a contraction of 2.3%.

Fertiliser output increased by 4.3% in August. It was -5.7% in the same period last year.

Natural gas and coal output contracted by 5.3% and 15.3% in August, respectively.

During April-August 2011-12, the growth of core industries slowed down to 5.3% from 6.1% in the same quarter last year.