2026.02.0610:34:49UTC+00Malta Industrial Output Falls for Third Month

Malta's industrial production experienced a 6% year-on-year decline in December 2025, which is an improvement compared to the previous month’s nearly four-year low, when it saw a revised 7.8% drop. This deceleration in the decline was largely attributed to an increase in production within the manufacturing sector, where output fell by 7% compared to a 9% decrease earlier. Specifically, there were notable gains in the production of rubber, plastic, and other non-metallic mineral products, which surged by 20.6%. Chemical and pharmaceutical products saw an 8.5% increase, while food products and beverages increased by 1.4%. In terms of broader industrial categories, energy production rose by 8.7%, up from 3.7%, and there was a rebound in capital goods, with a 4.4% rise following a 7.1% decrease. Production of intermediate goods contracted at a slower rate of 8.8%, compared to an 11.8% decline previously. Conversely, there was a further decline in the production of consumer non-durable goods, which fell 6.9% compared to a 2.8% decrease before, consumer goods decreased by 6.9%, down from a 1.2% decline, and consumer durable goods saw a reduction of 5.6% following a 5.6% increase. On a month-to-month basis, adjusted for seasonal variations, industrial activity rebounded with a 4.2% increase in December, recovering from a 0.1% decline in November.