UK manufacturing output rose a seasonally-adjusted 0.3 per cent in February from the previous month, according to the Office of National Statistics.
The rise was bigger than expected. Manufacturing output has now risen for two straight months - a situation not seen since July and August 2002.
Manufacturing output fell 0.6 per cent on a year-on-year basis, a stronger showing than the consensus forecast of a 1 per cent drop.
Industrial output, which includes mining and utility production along with manufacturing, rose 0.7 per cent in February from the previous month. Economists had forecast industrial output to fall by 0.2 per cent. The month-on-month rise is the highest since July 2002.
Year-on-year, industrial output was up 0.1 per cent in February, against expectations of a 0.7 per cent decline. The rise was the first since March 2001.
The rise in manufacturing output in February was led by small increases in output in the majority of manufacturing subsectors.
Significant rises in the latest three months were reported in electrical and optical equipment. There were also rises in the output of basic metals and metals products and non-metallic mineral products.
There was a significant fall in paper, printing and publishing, while drops were also recorded in the output of food, drink and tobacco, textiles, leather and clothing, machinery and equipment and chemical and man made fibres.
AFP