Eurozone data released on the 24 day showed that the euro zone's industrial orders decreased by 5.2% in December compared with the previous month, a sharp decrease of 22.3% over the same period in 2007.

The revised data show that the euro area industrial orders fell by 5.4% in November, down 26.2% from a year ago, the largest decline in history.

In December last year, the industrial orders in various commodity categories in the euro area decreased, with orders for metal and metal finished products dropped by 10%, orders for pport equipment and machinery decreased by 4.6% and 12.3% respectively, orders for chemical products decreased by 4.3%, orders for electronic equipment decreased by 1.7%, and orders for textile products decreased by 0.5%.

In the 15 eurozone members, Holland's industrial orders fell by 15.1% in December last year.

Germany's industrial orders fell by 9% in the first largest economy, down 27.5% from the same period last year.

France's industrial orders rose 1.5%, down 20.6% from the same period last year.

Data also showed that the 27 European countries' industrial orders decreased by 6.4% in December last year, down 23.3% from the same period last year.

Compared with 2007, industrial orders in the euro area decreased by 5% in 2008, and industrial orders in the European Union dropped by 4.9%.

Analysts pointed out that the continued sharp decline in industrial orders in the euro area indicates that the impact of the financial crisis on the real economy is deepening.

Wang Xiaonan: editor in charge