Oct 20, (Reuters) - Italian seasonally adjusted industrial orders rose 1.5 percent month-on-month in August, reversing a 1.5 percent fall in July and posting their first increase since April, data showed on Monday.
Orders fell 3.2 percent in unadjusted year-on-year terms after a 0.7 percent drop the month before, national statistics office ISTAT reported.
Industrial sales rose a seasonally adjusted 0.4 percent month-on-month after a 1.1 percent fall in July, but were down a work-day adjusted 2.3 percent year-on-year.
The monthly rebound in orders in August followed three steep monthly falls and is unlikely to be seen as a real sign of recovery for Italy's stagnant economy.
Industrial output for August, issued by ISTAT earlier this month, increased 0.3 percent month-on-month after a 1.0 percent drop in July.
ISTAT gave the following details on orders and turnover in August and the previous two months.
(Reporting by Gavin Jones)