Industrial orders in Italy plunged by 10 percent in March on a 12-month comparison but rose by 1.6 percent from February, data showed on Monday, as Italy suffers its longest-ever recession.

Foreign orders increased by 3.6 percent from February but fell 6.1 percent year-on-year, while domestic orders were up 0.2 percent over the month and down 13.2 percent for the year.

Italian industrial production dipped by 0.9 percent for the month and 7.6 percent for the year, according to the official statistics agency Istat.