Manufacturing Helps Index To Grow By 3%

Output increased by 3% over the year between April 2013 and April 2014 according to a statistical bulletin released by the ONS. All the main sectors increased over the year except electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning. Manufacturing increased by 4.4%.

The main components that contributed to the increase in the manufacturing production index were rubber, plastic and other non-metallic mineral products, transport equipment and food, beverages and tobacco.

The monthly comparison shows that production increased by 0.4% between March 2014 and April 2014. Output dipped in two sectors and the largest contributor to this was mining and quarrying with -1.1% then water supply, sewerage and waste management with -0.7%. Manufacturing increased over the month by 0.4% due to increases in transport equipment, computer electronic and optical products and rubber, plastic and other non-metallic mineral products.

Output Increase Of 2.7%

There were increases in production output of 3.8% in manufacturing, 8.5% in water and waste management and 0.2% in mining and quarrying which contributed to the increase of 2.7% in total production output over the year between February 2013 and February 2014. Only electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning reported a decrease of 8.8% due it was thought to this year's warmer February.

The main manufacturing sectors that added to the increase over the year were rubber and plastic products, transport equipment and machinery.

Total production over the month between January and February 2014 increased by 0.9% mainly due to increases in the manufacture of pharmaceuticals, transport equipment and food, drink and tobacco.

Output Up By 2.9%

Production output increased by 2.9% over the year to January 2014. Manufacturing, the largest component of production figures, increased by 3.3% and water supply, sewerage and waste management increased 12.6%.

Of the manufacturing components, the main contributors to the 3.3% increase were rubber, plastic products and other non-metallic mineral products manufacturing, the manufacture of machinery and equipment not elsewhere classified and the manufacture of transport equipment.

Production output increased by 0.1% over the month between December 2013 and January 2014. All sectors increased except mining and quarrying which decreased by 3.4%. The remaining sectors all of which reported an increase grew by 0.4%.

The main components contributing to the increase over the month were the manufacture of rubber, plastic products and other non-metallic mineral products, the manufacture of machinery and equipment not elsewhere classified and other manufacturing and repair.

The second estimate of GDP suggested the economy grew by 0.7%. Three of he four main groupings experienced growth with agriculture experiencing a decline of 0.1%. Services and construction grew by 0.8% and 0.2% respectively. Services continues to be the main contributor to growth.