It was the softest contraction since January, as output declined less for manufacturing (-3.6% vs -7%).

Meanwhile, output dropped at a faster pace for mining & quarrying (-7.2% vs -2.6%), electricity, gas, steam & air-conditioning (-45.4% vs -35.7%), and water supply (-8.6% vs -2.2%).

On a seasonally adjusted monthly basis, industrial production grew 3.8% in August, recovering from an upwardly revised 4.7% fall in the previous month.