Cairo – Mubasher: Egypt’s production index of manufacturing and extractive industries, less crude oil and petroleum products, edged down by 0.89% month-on-month to 130.92 in September, official preliminary data showed on Wednesday.

This compared with a revised index reading of 132.09 in August, the Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics (CAPMAS) said.

The production of computers, electronics and optical and medical equipment dropped by 31.98% month-on-month to 210.78 last September, from 309.90, as manufacturer scaled back production of testing devices due to lower demand.

Moreover, the index of non-ferrous metals, including steel and aluminium, fell by 13.20% to 60.38, owing to shortage in coke coal supplies.

On the other hand, the mining and quarrying industry gauge came in at 141.92 last September, jumping from 129.36 in the preceding month, led by a 9.71% growth of export orders, CAPMAS said.

The index of pharmaceutical, chemical, and medicine industries also rose month-on-month to 230.07 in September, owing to seasonally higher output of winter medicines.