Industrial production remained stable in Italy in February, before the start of the conflict in the Middle East, the National Institute of Statistics (Istat) reported on Friday.
After a decrease in January, production only increased by 0.1% in February and by 0.5% compared to a year ago. The growth in equipment goods more than offset the decline in consumer goods production and energy, according to Istat.
Specifically, the increase in the production of transportation vehicles, electronic products, and machinery (compared to February 2025) was offset by a decrease in chemicals and refined petroleum products.
The February figures “come in a context where the Italian economy, although not particularly strong and with significant disparities between productive sectors, was showing signs of improvement – at least until the beginning of this current conflict,” commented the research office of the employer union Confcommercio.
Nevertheless, “to this day, industrial activity remains significantly below the levels reached in the previous decade,” according to the same source.
In 2025, Italian industrial production decreased by 0.2%, limiting the damage after a sharp 3.5% drop in 2024. The most significant decreases in production were in textile industries, clothing, leather, and accessories (-5.5% year-on-year), as well as in transportation manufacturing (-4.7%), with local champion Stellantis significantly slowing down for the year.
However, production held up thanks to pharmaceutical industries (+3.8%) and food industries (+1.6%), other sectors besides fashion that contribute to Italy being a major exporting country.
/2026/04/10/69d8ef5c7ab54758983695.jpg "A toll at the Strait of Hormuz would be a historical violation of international law explains a specialist.")
