Monthly Industry Briefings > Monthly Industry Forecasts > Chemicals

German chemical output increased by 1% on the month in January, recovering the ground lost in December, largely due to a solid rise in pharmaceuticals production. At the same time, French output growth was flat, following three months of above-1% rises, while production in Italy dropped back. In the UK, a rebound in output was driven by healthy increases in the largest ex-pharma sectors. Also, the measures in the recent UK government budget were welcomed by the chemical industry, although energy costs remain a concern. Looking ahead, surveys show confidence has slipped back during Q1 2015 but this recent weakness is unlikely to last given current positive macroeconomic prospects and low global oil prices.