Smaller increase in manufacturing output

Factory output was up by 1.1% in the three months to May, compared with the previous three months and up by 3.8% on the same period 2013.

There were increases on the previous three months in eight of the 13 subsectors.

There was a 4.3% increase in the manufacture of basic pharmaceutical products and pharmaceutical preparations, while the manufacture of transport equipment posted a 3.9% increase.

The manufacture of rubber, plastic products and other non-metallic mineral products increased by 2.9%, and for food products, beverages and tobacco the rise was 2.1%.

Offsetting these increases, there were falls in output of 7.1% in coke and refined petroleum products and 1.7% in textiles, clothes and leather products.

The more volatile monthly figures showed output down by 1.3% between April and May, but up by 3.7% on the same month a year ago.

For the production industries (manufacturing, mining, energy and utilities), output was up by 0.6% in the three months to May compared with the previous three months and by 2.5% on the same period last year. The more volatile monthly figures showed a fall of 0.7% between April and May, but an increase of 2.3% compared with May 2013.

www.ons.gov.uk/ons/dcp171778_369799.pdf