Factory output weak


Manufacturing output continues in the doldrums, official figures show. 



Factory output contracted by 0.9% in the three-month period ending August compared with the previous three-month period. That is worse than the 0.4% decrease for the three months ending July.


There was a fall of 4.1% in the other machinery group; 3.6% in basic pharmaceuticals; and 3.3% in other manufacturing. 



On the plus side, output of coke and refined petroleum products increased by 7.4%.



Manufacturing output was down by 0.7% on the same three-month period a year ago, while the more volatile monthly figures showed a 0.5% increase in August compared with July. 



Output of the production industries (manufacturing, mining and utilities) was up by 0.1% on the previous three-month period, and up by 1.3% on the same period a year earlier. 



Production and manufacturing were 9.4% and 6.5% respectively below their figures reached in the pre-downturn peak in first quarter of 2008, according to the Office for National Statistics.


www.ons.gov.uk/ons/dcp171778_418973.pdf