According to estimates released by Eurostat, the Statistical Office of the European Communities, the euro-zone industrial new orders index increased by 4.9% in November 2005 compared with October 2005. The index fell by 0.6% in October and rose by 1.7% in September. EU25 new orders increased by 3.4% after having remained stable in October and rising by 0.6% in September. New orders for chemicals and chemical products gained 2.5% in the euro-zone and 1.2% in the EU25; textiles and textile products grew by 1.7% in the euro-zone and by 1.2% in the EU25; and manufacturing of machinery and equipment fell by 0.6% and 0.8% respectively compared with a month earlier.

In November 2005 compared with November 2004, industrial new orders increased by 9.2% in the euro-zone and by 9.3% in the EU25. New orders for manufacturing of textiles and textile products fell by 1.4% and 1.2% respectively; machinery and equipment increased by 11% in the euro-zone and by 11.2% in the EU25; manufacturing of chemicals and chemical products gained 6.7% and 5.1% respectively.