After showing some signs of recovery in April, growth in the output of eight core industries slowed to 2.7 per cent in July as against 5.3 per cent in the same month last year. Growth in the sector, which has a combined weight of about 37. 9 per cent in the Index of Industrial Production was 2.7 per cent higher compared to the index of July, 2013. According to the data released by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, the output of crude oil, natural gas, refinery products, fertilizers and steel recorded a negative growth in July. However, coal production grew by 6.2 percent, cement by 16.5 per cent and electricity by 11.2 per cent during the period.