Czechia’s industrial output fell by 1.4% in 2024, in a yet deeper slump than the 0.8% registered in 2023. In December, the industry fell by 3% year on year and grew by 1.6% month on month amid a slumping car industry.

“The December y/y decrease in industrial production was influenced by manufacture of motor vehicles, trailers, and semi-trailers the most,” commented Radek Matějka of the Czech Statistical Office (CZSO). It fell by 2.3% y/y. 

He added that “high comparison basis from the previous years was reflected there” as was “manufacture of electrical equipment, especially components for the automotive sector.” Production of basic metals fell by 8.3%, and coal mining shrank by 12% y/y

The food and beverage industry maintained growth (+3.5% y/y), as did the repair and installation of machinery and equipment and the manufacture of other non-metallic mineral products.

The value of new orders at current prices stagnated in December y/y as new non-domestic orders grew by 0.5% y/y, and domestic new orders fell by 1%. New orders dropped by 0.2% m/m.

“Similarly as in production, the y/y decrease in the value of new orders was most influenced by the manufacture of motor vehicles and manufacture of electrical equipment,” CZSO’s Veronika Doležalová stated, adding that the value of new orders increases y/y in the manufacture of computer, electronic and optical products.

The country’s construction output also fell for the second consecutive year in 2024 (-2.4%), while in December, the construction grew by 9.7% y/y and by 4.5% m/m. Building construction grew by 7.8% and civil engineering construction by 13.3% y/y.

The approximate value of issued building permits fell by 6.6%, while the number of started dwellings dropped by 5.7% y/y, and the number of completed dwellings fell by 60.1% y/y.

“A significant decrease in the number of completed dwellings in December was recorded in family houses as well as in multi-dwelling buildings and, besides a low number of dwellings, it was also due to a high comparison basis,” commented the CZSO’s Petra Čuřínová.