<h1>Core Industries Growth Slows to 0.5% in January 2012; Cement and Coal Lead Gains, Crude Oil Declines.</h1> The Index of Eight Core Industries, which constitutes 37.90% of the Index of Industrial Production, showed a growth of 0.5% in January 2012, down from 6.4% in January 2011. From April 2011 to January 2012, the cumulative growth was 4.1%, compared to 5.7% in the previous year. Coal production grew by 7.5% in January 2012, while crude oil and natural gas saw declines of 2.0% and 8.9%, respectively. Petroleum refinery products decreased by 4.6%, and steel fell by 2.9%. Cement production increased by 10.6%, and electricity generation rose by 2.4%. Fertilizer production grew by 4.0%.