In October 2008 compared with September 2008, the euro area (EA15) industrial new orders index fell by 4.7%. In September the index decreased by 5.4%. In the EU27 new orders declined by 6.3% in October 2008, after dropping by 5.2% in September. Excluding ships, railway & aerospace equipment, for which changes tend to be more volatile, industrial new orders fell by 3.8% in the euro area and by 6.3% in the EU27.