Italy's industrial output unexpectedly rises in April despite Iran war

ROME - Italian industrial output unexpectedly rose in April from the previous month, data showed on Wednesday, posting a 0.5% increase that marked the third gain in a row for a manufacturing sector showing signs of emerging from a long-runnng slump.

A Reuters survey of 15 analysts had pointed to a 0.1% month-on-month decline in April, amid surging energy costs following U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran that began at the end of February.

National statistics agency ISTAT slightly revised down March's data to show a 0.6% rise, from an originally reported 0.7% increase.

In the February-to-April period output in the euro zone's third-largest economy was up 0.2% compared to the previous three months, holding up better than expected during the Middle East conflict.

On a work day-adjusted year-on-year basis, industrial output rose 1.3% in April, after a 1.4% increase in March, ISTAT said.

Giorgia Meloni's government in April cut its economic growth outlook to 0.6% for this year and next, reflecting the increase in energy costs and geopolitical tensions, from previous targets of 0.7% and 0.8% respectively.

In 2025 Italy grew by 0.5%, a third straight year of sub-1% growth.

In the first quarter of 2026 Italian gross domestic product increased by 0.3% quarter-on-quarter, the same growth rate as in the fourth quarter of last year.

(Reporting by Antonella Cinelli, graphic by Stefano Bernabei, editing by Giulia Segreti and Gavin Jones)

Copyright Reuters or USA Today Network via Reuters Connect.

This story was originally published June 10, 2026 at 5:28 AM.