<h1>Index of Eight Core Industries shows mixed sectoral growth, with natural gas decline and weaker coal and crude oil performance.</h1> The Index of Eight Core Industries recorded a combined growth of 2.9% in March 2013 (index 164.5), marginally below the prior year's 3.0%, largely due to negative Natural Gas output and weak Coal and Crude Oil performance; sectoral results were mixed, cumulative April-March growth declined relative to the previous year, data are provisional and a refinery's crude throughput was excluded from the series.