Factory output rosier


UK factories contributed to an overall increase in the output of the production industries, official figures show.


Manufacturing output in the three months to August increased by 0.7% on the previous three-month period ending May.



Eight out of the 13 subsectors posted increases including a 4.6% increase in computer and electronic products, 3.9% in electrical equipment and 3.8% in other manufacturing and repair.


Offsetting these increases were falls of 2.8% in coke and refined petroleum products and 1.3% in rubber and plastic products.


Factory output was up by 2.3% on the same period a year ago.



The more volatile monthly figures show a 0.4% increase in manufacturing output in August on the previous month and a 2.8% increase on the same month a year ago.



The production industries (mining and utilities as well as manufacturing) saw output increase by 0.9% in the three-month period ending August compared with previous three-month period.



Production output was up by 1.2% on the same period a year ago.


In August, the monthly increases were 0.2% on July and 1.6% on the same month 2016.



www.ons.gov.uk/economy/economicoutputandproductivity/output/bulletins/indexofproduction/august2017