Summary
In the 1st quarter 2012, industry new orders index decreased by 5.2% in year-on-year terms (reduction of 3.3% in the previous month). The more intense reduction of the total index in March was determined by the evolution of the external market index, which recorded a year on year change rate of -1.1% in March (3.7% in February). The year-on-year change rate of the domestic market new orders index moved from -11.4% in February to -10.2% in March.