Factory output rises
UK factories boosted their output in September, official figures show.
Manufacturing output in the three months to September increased by 1.1% on the previous three-month period ending June. The August rise was 0.7%, according to the Office for National Statistics.
Seven out of the 13 subsectors posted increases including a 9.0% increase in textiles and clothing, 8.9% in electrical equipment and 5.8% in computers and electronics.
Offsetting these increases were falls of 2.8% in coke and refined petroleum products and 2.3% in rubber and plastic products.
Factory output was up by 2.7% on the same period a year ago. The August rise was just 2.3%.
The more volatile monthly figures show a 0.7% increase in output in September compared wiith the previous month and a 2.7% increase on the same month a year ago.
The production industries (mining and utilities as well as manufacturing) saw output increase by 1.1% in the three-month period ending September compared with previous three-month period.
Production output was up by 1.8% on the same period a year ago.
In September, the monthly increases for production were 0.7% on previous month and 2.5% on the same month 2016.