Italy's industrial production decreased more-than-expected in September, after rising in the previous two months, the statistical office Istat said on Thursday.
Industrial production fell a seasonally-adjusted 1.8 percent month-on-month in September, reversing a 2.3 percent rise in August. Economists had forecast a 1.5 percent decrease.
The decline in September was largely caused by a 2.7 percent fall in energy output. Production in the intermediate goods sector also registered a contraction of 1.8 percent.
On a yearly basis, industrial production fell 0.5 percent in September, in contrast to a 2.9 percent gain in the previous month. Meanwhile, economists had forecast a 0.9 percent increase.
During the third quarter, overall industrial production declined 0.4 percent compared to the preceding three-month period.
