Factory output shrinks in first quarter


The drugs industry has distorted the recent three-monthly figures for manufacturing output, according to the Office for National Statistics.


Factory output in the three months to April was down by 0.7% on the previous three-month period ending January.


The decrease in manufacturing was due mainly to the highly volatile pharmaceutical industry, which fell by a record 11.9%, following an increase of 10.1% in the three months to January 2017.


Other industries recording falls in output included coke and refined petroleum products with a 3.7% decrease and computer, electronic and optical products where output was down by 3.6%.


Offsetting those falls were an increase of 5.1% in textiles and clothing and a 2.4% increase in other machinery and equipment.


Factory output was up by 1.7% on the same period a year ago.


The more volatile monthly figures show manufacturing output in April up by 0.2% on the previous month and unchanged on the same month the previous year.


The production industries (mining, utilities as well as manufacturing) saw output shrink by 1.2% in the three-month period ending April compared with previous three-month period.


However, production output was up by 1.0% on the same period a year ago.


April posted a 0.2% increase on March, but a 0.8% decrease on the same month 2016.


www.ons.gov.uk/economy/economicoutputandproductivity/output/bulletins/indexofproduction/apr2017