Manufacturing falls in flat economy 


The economy was flat, latest official figures show.


Gross domestic product (GDP) was level in the three months to July following a contraction of 0.2% in the quarter to June.


Rob Kent-Smith, head of GDP at the Office for National Statistics (ONS), said: “GDP growth was flat in the latest three months, with falls in construction and manufacturing.


“While the largest part of the economy, services sector, returned to growth in the month of July, the underlying picture shows services growth weakening through 2019.”


The services sector was the only positive contributor to GDP growth in the three months to July 2019, growing by 0.2%.


The production sector fell by 0.5% in the three months to July 2019. The ONS said there has been significant volatility in this sector throughout the first half of 2019, largely driven by manufacturing, which fell by 1.1% in the most recent three months.


Growth in construction was weak with a contraction of 0.8% in the three months to July.


https://www.ons.gov.uk/releases/gdpmonthlyestimateukjuly2019