UK output rise boosts manufacturers

British manufacturers were given a major boost today after official UK figures showed a sharper-than-expected recovery in factory output levels.

The sector – seen as a drag on the UK economy following disappointing figures in recent months – showed a 0.9% rise in output between March and April.

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said there had been widespread improvements across manufacturing, with increases in output of 2.6% in the chemicals sector and 2.8% in machinery and equipment.

Revisions by the ONS also improved the downbeat picture for the first three months of the year, with output in March now unchanged on a month earlier, against the previously stated 0.3% decline.

That brings the ONS more into line with other recent survey data, which had shown the manufacturing sector performing better than official figures.

Analysts said the revisions and the latest output data paved the way for the Bank of England’s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) to raise interest rates at its latest two-day meeting, which started today.