Euro zone industrial production falls more than expected in Dec

BRUSSELS, Feb 15 (Reuters) - Euro zone industrial productionshrank more that expected in December under the weight offalling output of capital and non-durable consumer goods, datashowed on Monday, confirming the euro zone's economiccontraction in the fourth quarter.

The European Union's statistics office Eurostat saidproduction in the 19 countries sharing the euro fell 1.6%month-on-month for a 0.8% year-on-year decline as much of theeconomy was closed to prevent the spread of the COVID-19pandemic.

Economists polled by Reuters had expected a 1.0% monthly anda 0.3% annual decrease.

The output of capital goods, used for investment, plunged3.1% on the month and year-on-year while the productionnon-durable consumer goods -- usually food or clothes -- wasdown 0.6% on the month and 3.9% on the year.

This offset the increased production of rises inintermediate goods and durable consumer goods.

Eurostat estimated earlier this month that the euro zoneeconomy contracted 0.7% quarter-on-quarter, for a 5.1%year-on-year decline and economists expect another GDP fall inthe first three months of this year amid continued economiclockdowns.(Reporting by Jan Strupczewski)