Manufacturing still struggling

Factory output has continued in the doldrums, the latest official figures show.

Manufacturing output fell by 0.2% in the three months to May on the previous three-month period.

Output was also down — by 1.6% on the same three-month period a year ago.

The more volatile monthly figures showed a 1.2% rise in May on the previous month. However, the Office for National Statistics said that as the usual end of May bank holiday was moved to June for the Diamond jubilee celebrations the extra working day may have been a contributory factor to the rise.

Eight manufacturing sub sectors rose with five falling. The largest contributions to the month on month rise in manufacturing output were the manufacture of transport equipment industries, which rose by 3.7%, followed by the manufacture of food, drink and tobacco, which rose by 2.2%. In contrast, the manufacture of pharmaceutical products and preparations industries fell by 3.9%.

The index of production (manufacturing, mining and energy supplies) posted a 0.3% fall in the three months to May compared with the previous three months, and it was down by 2.1% on the same period of 2011.

www.ons.gov.uk/ons/dcp171778_270535.pdf