Only coal saw production increase by 9.2 per cent against 1.9 per cent a year ago.

This is the slowest growth in the index during October in the past four years. Though the data put out by the government's statistics office can be seen as the evidence of slower economic growth, economists say a month is too short a period to derive trends for the full year.

Core sector growth in the seven months (April-October 2007) stood at 6.2 per cent against 8.9 per cent in the corresponding period in 2006-07.

"A growth rate of around 7 per cent in the core sector index is comfortable for the economy," said Samiran Chakraborty, chief economist of ICICI Bank [Get Quote].

The October figures come at a time when the index of industrial production (IIP), boosted by festive demand, grew 11.8 per cent in the same month against 4.5 per cent a year ago.

Infrastructure industries account for 26.68 per cent of the IIP. 

Analysts expressed surprise at the October core sector data. "Usually, the IIP and the six core infrastructure index move in tandem. The low growth rate during the month could be because of a higher base in the previous year," said Chakraborty. 

The sharpest dip in growth during the month was in petroleum refinery products, where production increased 2.8 per cent against 18.1 per cent a year ago. 

Crude production during the month fell 0.1 per cent against an increase of 9.3 per cent a year ago. 

Analysts attributed the dip in crude production due to unavailability of rigs and lower production at the offshore oil fields of Bombay High, which produces 38 per cent of India's crude. 

Industry experts also attributed the slowdown in refinery products production to the shutdown of Indian Oil Corporation's [Get Quote] Mathura refinery and a partial shutdown of RIL's [Get Quote] Jamnagar refinery.  

CORE CONCERNS                                                 % growth
Sector	Weight (%)	Oct-06	Oct-07	Apr-Oct 06-07	April-Oct 07-08
Crude	4.17	9.3	-0.1	4.8	0.6
Refinery products	2.0	18.1	2.8	13.1	8.8
Coal	3.22	1.9	9.2	4.8	3.8
Electricity	10.17	9.7	4.2	7.1	7.1
Cement	1.99	9.4	7	10.4	8.1
Finished steel	5.13	10.6	4.8	11.9	6.1
Overall	26.68	9.9	4.5	8.9	6.2

Infrastructure industries account for 26.68 per cent of the IIP.  Analysts expressed surprise at the October core sector data. "Usually, the IIP and the six core infrastructure index move in tandem. The low growth rate during the month could be because of a higher base in the previous year," said Chakraborty. 

The sharpest dip in growth during the month was in petroleum refinery products, where production increased 2.8 per cent against 18.1 per cent a year ago.  

Crude production during the month fell 0.1 per cent against an increase of 9.3 per cent a year ago.    

Analysts attributed the dip in crude production due to unavailability of rigs and lower production at the offshore oil fields of Bombay High, which produces 38 per cent of India's crude.  

Industry experts also attributed the slowdown in refinery products production to the shutdown of Indian Oil Corporation's Mathura refinery and a partial shutdown of RIL's Jamnagar refinery.