Manufacturing output edges higher


Factory output increased by 0.3% in the three months to November compared with the previous three months. That was, the first time in four months that output has increased.


In the November period, there were increases in output of 4.1% in coke and petroleum products, 3.6% in pharmaceuticals and 3.0% in electrical equipment.


Output was down by 1.3% in textiles and clothing in the three-month-period.


Manufacturing output was 0.3% higher than the same period a year ago, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said.


The more volatile monthly figure showed output in November was up by 1.3% on the previous month and 1.2% up on November 2015.


In November, output of the production industries — manufacturing, mining and utilities — was 0.6% down on the previous three-month period, but 0.5% higher than the same period a year ago.


The more volatile monthly figure showed industrial production in November was up by 2.1% on the previous month and 2.0% on November 2015.


In the three months to November 2016, production and manufacturing were 8.4% and 5.4% respectively below the pre-downturn gross domestic product (GDP) peak reached in the first quarter of 2008.


www.ons.gov.uk/economy/economicoutputandproductivity/output/bulletins/indexofproduction/nov2016