Orders for Italian industry plunged in September -- a bad omen for the Eurozone's third-biggest economy, which has just installed a new government to fight off the debt crisis.
According to seasonally-adjusted figures, industrial orders tumbled by 8.3 per cent in September in the biggest drop since August 2009, official figures from the National Institute of Statistics showed on Friday.
Orders had risen strongly just a month before -- in August 2011.
The sharp plunge in orders from the industrial sector -- a pillar of the Italian economy -- would appear to support fears among some economists that the country may be heading for a recession.
The new premier Mario Monti has promised Italy he will boost activity to stimulate the country's sluggish growth.
However, Fitch ratings agency warned on Thursday that "Italy is likely already in recession."
The plunge in orders was caused in particular by a 10.1-per cent drop in domestic demand, while external orders dropped 5.5 per cent.
On a 12-month basis, according to provisional figures, orders dropped by 3.6 per cent, but were up slightly, by 0.8 per cent in the third quarter.
The worst hit-sectors were electronics -- where orders were down 28.5 -- and transport -- including the auto industry -- which were down 15.8 per cent.
Industrial production also dropped by 5.4 percent on a month, but was up on a 12-month period by 1.9 percent.
Short link: