<h1>Core Industries Index Up 2.3% in May 2014; Fertilizer Surges 17.6%, Electricity Grows 6.3%, Oil & Gas Decline.</h1> The Index of Eight Core Industries, accounting for 37.90% of the Index of Industrial Production, recorded a 2.3% increase in May 2014 compared to May 2013, with a cumulative growth of 3.3% for April-May 2014-15. Coal production rose by 5.5%, while crude oil and natural gas production declined by 0.3% and 2.2%, respectively. Petroleum refinery output decreased by 2.3%, whereas fertilizer production surged by 17.6%. Steel production fell by 2.0%, but cement production increased by 8.7%. Electricity generation grew by 6.3%, showing an overall positive trend in industrial output.