Inflation Down to 4.8% In November

Inflation fell to 4.8% in November from the 5% figure of October. The index number is 121.2 (2005=100). RPI stands at 5.2%. Food, petrol, clothing and furniture household and equipment and maintenance provided the largest downward pressure. Domestic heating and off sales of alcohol provided upward pressure to the CPI. While upward pressure came from the same sectors as the CPI, downward pressure on the RPI came from wines and spirits off sales and fuel and light.

Production Down By 0.8%

The index of production produced by the ONS fell 0.8% in May this year compared with May last year. In the month between April and May the index rose by 0.9%. Manufacturing increased by 2.8% in May over the year and by 1.8% over the month between April and May 2011.

The main contribution to the upward movement in manufacturing was a 3.8% increase in the manufacture of machinery and equipment and other machinery which increased by 7.2%.

Production Continues To Grow

The index of production for September was 3.8% higher than September 2009. The index for October 2010 rose by 3.3% compared with 2009. The index of manufacturing was 4.8% higher in September and 5.8% higher in October. Output increased in 10 of the 13 sub-sectors in both September and October and fell in 2 in September and 3 in October with the largest increases in machinery and equipment and basic metals and metal products in both months with increases of 21% and 12.6% respectively in September and 16.8% and 13.7% respectively in October.

In the euro area industrial production increased by 5.2% in September 2010 compared with September 2009 and 5.8% in the EU27. Capital goods grew by 7.5% in euro area and 8.7% in EU27, intermediates by 6.8% and 7.5% respectively, energy by 1.8% and 0.8%, non-durables by 1.6% and 2.5% respectively and durables by 0.2% in euro area and 2.2% in EU27.

Production Up By 3.8%, Manufacturing 4.8%

Production increased by 3.8% in September 2010 compared with September last year, 3.3% on the same quarter last year, 0.4% compared with last month and 0.6% compared with the last quarter.

Manufacturing increased by 4.8% compared with September 2009. The largest increases were in machinery and equipment with 21% and basic metals and metal products with 12.6%. There was a 52.5% rise in the manufacture of machinery for the production of mechanical power and 22.7% for the manufacture of other kinds of special purpose machinery. The processing and treatment of metals increased by 17.4% and the manufacture of basic metals by 13.7%.

4.2% Rise In Production

The index of production increased by 4.2% in August compared with August 2009. The manufacturing index showed an increase of 6% over the same period. The annual index also showed that 10 of the 13 sub-sectors increased production but it fell in 3 sub-sectors. The biggest increases were in machinery and equipment with 16% and food, drink and tobacco with 7.7%. The main contributors sectors within machinery and equipment were machinery for the production of mechanical power with a 41% increase and the manufacture of 'other special machinery' with 26.4%. The processing and preserving of fish, fruit and vegetables was the main contributor in the food, drink and tobacco sub-sector with 32.8% growth and next came bread, biscuits, pastry goods and cake with 15.3%.

Manufacturing Helps Production Index

The ONS index of production for July 2010 increased by 1.9% on last year. The index of manufacturing increased by 4.9%. Analysis of the figures for the most recent month on last year shows that 9 of the 13 manufacturing sub-sectors increased by 4 fell. Machinery and equipment and basic metals and metal products reported the largest increases.

Low Production Figures But Non-Durables Up

The index of production for the first quarter saw a 5.3% decrease quarter on quarter and 12.1% decrease on the first quarter of 2008. Manufacturing was 5.5% lower and electricity, gas and water decreased 3.5% on the previous quarter. Manufacturing also showed the lowest rate of decline for 13 consecutive months with a 0.1% decrease between February and March. The March index was 88.0.

In the main industrial groups output of durable goods fell 8.0% on previous quarter, consumer non-durable goods went up 0.3% on February, capital itmes were 8.9% lower and intermediate goods and energy 6.6% lower than last quarter. Other significant falls included machinery and equipment.