Factory output at 10-year high


Factory output was at its highest level for 10 years as 2017 came near to a close, official figures show. In the three months to November, manufacturing output increased by 1.4% on the previous three-month period ending August. 


The index of manufacturing stood at 105.3 in November. It was last higher in November 2007 before the Crash. However, over the same period the economy as a whole has grown by 10.4%, and if manufacturing had matched that growth the latest index figure would now be 116.3. 


The figures show all but one of the 13 subsectors posting increases in the three months to November, including a 5.6% increase in other machinery and 2.1% in transport equipment. 


Textiles and clothing was the only subsector to show a fall, with output down by 5.9%. Factory output was up 3.9% on the same period a year ago. 


The more volatile monthly figures show a 0.4% increase in manufacturing output in November compared with the previous month, while on the same month a year ago the increase was 3.5%.


The production industries (mining, utilities and manufacturing) saw output increase by 1.2% in the three-month period ending November compared with the previous three-month period, and by 3.3% on the same period a year ago.

https://www.ons.gov.uk/releases/ukindexofproductionnovember2017