Factory output remains weak at end of 2015


Manufacturing output remains weak, latest official figures show. 


Factory output grew by 0.5% in the three-month period ending November compared with the previous three-month period, according to the Office for National Statistics. That was an improvement on the 0.3% increase for October — which was revised down from 0.4% -— and the 0.4% contraction in the three months to September.



In the latest three-month period, output of coke and refined petroleum products was the driver of the increase, with output up by 10.0% on the previous three-month period. There was a 3.3% increase in pharmaceuticals and 2.0% in transport equipment.


However, there were decreases in ouput of 3.3% in basic metals and 2.6% in computer, electronic and optical products.


Manufacturing output was down by 0.6% on the same three-month period to November a year ago. 


The more volatile monthly figures showed a 0.4% decrease in output between October and November. 



Output of the production industries (manufacturing, mining and utilities) was up by 0.2% on the previous three-month period, and up by 1.4% on the same period a year earlier. 



Nevertheless, in the three-month period to November, production and manufacturing were 9.1% and 6.1% respectively below the levels achieved in the first quarter 2008, before the economic downturn.


www.ons.gov.uk/ons/dcp171778_430068.pdf