December results confirmed that Czech industry performed exceptionally well in the final quarter of last year despite barriers to international trade, uncertainty, and structural problems. December industrial production continued the strong expansion seen in November, with most sectors experiencing growth. New orders increased by almost a quarter yoy due to large volume long-term orders from abroad. After stagnating in November, the Czech construction industry also reported growth, particularly in civil engineering. The foreign trade balance showed a higher-than-expected surplus.