BENGALURU (Reuters) -India’s infrastructure output growth slowed in December, as the rise in cement output eased, government data showed on Friday.
Infrastructure output, which tracks activity across eight sectors and makes up 40% of the country’s industrial production, grew 4% year-on-year in December, against a revised 4.4% in November.
Infrastructure output grew 4.2% in April-December, compared to an 8.3% increase in the year-ago period.
Cement output rose 4% year-on-year in December compared to a 13.5% increase in November, and steel production grew 5.1% against 4.4% a month earlier.
Coal production rose 5.3% year-on-year compared to a 7.5% increase in November, while refinery products output grew 2.8% compared with an increase of 2.9% in November.
Electricity generation was up 5.1% against a revised 4.4% rise in the prior month.
India forecasts annual growth of 6.4% in the year ending in March, the slowest in four years and below the lower end of the government’s initial projection, dragged by a weaker manufacturing sector and slower corporate investments.
(Reporting by Chris Thomas in Bengaluru; Editing by Mrigank Dhaniwala)
