Czech industry recorded modest growth in May 2025, mainly driven by foreign orders and automotive production. Compared to the EU, the picture remains mixed.
Industrial production in the Czech Republic rose by 2.2 per cent in real terms in May 2025 compared to the same month last year. However, it fell by 1.6 per cent compared to the previous month. The sector also recorded a strong increase in new orders, with order intake rising by 5 per cent year-on-year.
According to the Czech Statistical Office (ČSÚ), the growth is partly attributable to the low base for comparison from the previous year, particularly in the field of energy production. Another boost came from the production of other transport equipment, where larger long-term contracts were concluded. The manufacture of electrical equipment also had a positive impact. In contrast, production of computers, electronic and optical devices declined. Overall, the manufacturing sector grew by 1.5 per cent compared to May 2024.
Significant Increase in Foreign Orders
Order intake in the monitored sectors grew by 5 per cent in May compared to the previous year. Foreign orders in particular rose significantly, by 7.2 per cent, while domestic orders increased by just 1 per cent. Compared to April, however, total orders declined by 3.9 per cent. “Automotive production in particular contributed to the increase in orders, which was also influenced by the low base in the previous year. New orders also rose noticeably in metal processing and in the production of electrical equipment,” explained Irena Stupňánková from the Czech Statistical Office (ČSÚ).
The average number of employees in industry fell by 2 per cent year-on-year in May.
A look at developments across Europe shows that, according to Eurostat, industrial production in the EU27 rose by 0.6 per cent in April 2025 compared to the same month the previous year. Ireland (+18.4%) and Finland (+10.2%) reported particularly strong growth. The Czech Republic exceeded the EU average with a 2.0 per cent increase. Germany, on the other hand, recorded a decline of 2.4 per cent. The sharpest decreases were seen in Denmark (-11.6%) and Bulgaria (-10.5%). By sector, the production of pharmaceutical products recorded the strongest growth (+7.7%), while clothing manufacturing suffered the largest drop, falling by 6.7 per cent.
Eurostat data for May 2025 is expected to be published on 15 July.
