Industrial production in the eurozone contracted by 0.2% in May, marking an unexpected decline that underscores persistent weakness in the region's manufacturing base.
The European Union's statistical office, Eurostat, released the figures on Wednesday, revealing that output fell rather than rose as many analysts had anticipated.
The data points to a broader slowdown across the bloc's industrial heartland.
Recent purchasing managers' indices have already signaled deteriorating conditions, with Germany's private sector activity shrinking to its weakest level in 18 months in June.
Similarly, Polish industrial activity recorded a sharp contraction, with its manufacturing PMI posting its steepest drop since late 2022.
This latest print from Eurostat confirms that the headwinds facing European manufacturers are not isolated incidents but part of a sustained trend.