UK manufacturing output up 3.2%

Official figures have today revealed the strongest monthly rise in British manufacturing output for 10 years.

Manufacturing output grew by 3.2% in July, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said, while the wider index of production grew by 2.9%.

The largest contributions to the month on month rise in manufacturing output came from the manufacture of basic metals and metal products, which rose by 6.2%, followed by the manufacture of transport equipment, which rose by 6.3%, the ONS added.

Howard Archer, chief UK and European economist at HIS Global Insight, said the sharp rebound provided a “significant lift” to growth prospects in the third quarter, after three quarters of contracting gross domestic product (GDP).