Euro zone October industry output dips against expected slight rise

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Euro zone industrial output dipped in October for the second consecutive month against expectations of a slight rise as production of intermediate and non-durable consumer goods dropped in a sign of muted growth in the fourth quarter.

The European Union's statistics office Eurostat said on Wednesday industrial production in the 19-country single currency bloc in decreased in October by 0.1 percent during the month, although was up 0.6 percent year-on-year.

A Reuters poll of economists had forecast an average monthly rise of 0.2 percent for a 0.8 percent increase year on year.

The figures for September were revised to minus 0.9 percent month-on-month for a 1.3 percent increase from a year earlier, compared with the initial estimates of -0.8 and 1.2 percent respectively.

The figures meant the end of a seven-month pattern in which decreases in one month were followed by increases the following month and vice versa.

The monthly fall of production in October was mostly due to a 1.5 percent drop in the output of non-durable consumer goods, such as clothing, after a 0.1 percent increase in September.

Intermediate good production also fell by 0.5 percent.

However, output of durable goods, such as cars or fridges, picked up 1.5 percent after a sharp 5.5 percent decline in September. Production of capital goods, such as industrial machinery, and of energy rose by 1.0 and 0.8 percent respectively.

(Reporting By Philip Blenkinsop; editing by Robert-Jan Bartunek)