A decline in the production of chemicals was the main reason behind a 4.5 per cent drop in the volume of industrial production in July, according to the Central Statistics Office.
This contrasts with a 6.6 per cent rise recorded at the end of June, with a change in the volume of chemicals production again a major factor in the change.
In July, production by the modern sector, which includes the technology and chemical sectors, dropped by 3.5 per cent. There was also a 11.2 per cent fall in production of radio, television and communication equipment.
The traditional sector declined 6.2 per cent in the month.
Over the three-month period May to July the seasonally adjusted volume of industrial production was 2.1 per cent higher than the preceding three month period.
