India's core sector growth slows to 2.3% in February
India's main industries (think coal, oil, gas, steel, cement, and more) grew just 2.3% in February, down from 4.7% in January (revised).
These sectors are a big deal since they make up 40% of the country's industrial output.
Over the past year (April to January), trends have varied, but this recent slowdown is raising eyebrows.
Energy takes a hit, but steel and cement are shining
Energy production took a real hit: crude oil dropped by over 5%, natural gas fell too, and refinery products slipped slightly. Coal managed a small bump up.
But here's some good news: steel and cement are booming! Steel output jumped over 7%, cement grew more than 9%, and even fertilizers saw gains.
Electricity generation barely budged but stayed positive.
Why this matters: Early glimpse of India's economic health
The core sector numbers give an early peek at how India's economy is doing.
The dip in energy shows there are challenges ahead, especially with crude oil production declining by 5.2% year-on-year in February 2026.
Still, strong growth in steel and cement hints at ongoing construction and infrastructure activity—even as inflation stays pretty low at around 3%.
If you care about where India's economy is headed or what jobs might be hot soon, these trends are worth watching.