Industrial production advanced by 7.3 per cent over January 1–April 30, 2008, according to a press release from National Institute of Statistics (INS), Rompres informs. In April, industrial production decreased by 3.4 per cent as against the previous month and it advanced by 13.3 per cent compared to the same time period of the previous year, backed by the processing industry, which advanced by 14.1 per cent, electric and heat energy, natural gas and water, up by 12.1 per cent, and extractive industry, by 5.1 per cent. The increase registered in the industrial production, over the first four months of the year, was the outcome of the advance posed in electric and heat energy producing branches, natural gas and water – plus 9.8 per cent and by the processing industry – plus 8 per cent. Extractive industry decreased by 1.7 per cent.