Seasonally-adjusted French industrial output unexpectedly fell 0.9 pct in February following a rise of 0.3 pct in January, indicating that recent volatility in this indicator has not yet ended, according to data from the Insee statistics office. The consensus estimate of economists polled by AFX News was established at an 0.3 pct month-on-month rise. Manufacturing output, which excludes food and energy, was down 1.1 pct in February, compared with a rise of 0.8 pct the month before. Economists had also forecast an 0.3 pct rise for this component. January's industrial output figure was not revised, but the manufacturing output figure was revised from an increase of 0.7 pct. This data series has been particularly volatile since the autumn as a result of plant closures in the automobile sector and a variety of seasonal and calendar effects.