UK manufacturing output increased in July in the biggest jump in 18 months, boosted by higher production of cars and pharmaceuticals. German industrial production fell in July after a rise in June.
UK output rose 0.9% from the previous month, when it increased 0.6%, the Office for National Statistics said today. Factory production fell 10.1% from a year ago.
In the three months to July 2009, the seasonally adjusted chained volume index for the output of the production industries was unchanged compared with the previous three months and was 10.7% lower than the same three month period a year earlier. In the latest three months, manufacturing output increased by 0.2%, mining and quarrying output decreased by 0.9% and output of the electricity, gas and water supply industries decreased by 0.7%, compared. with the previous three months.
Between June and July, output of the manufacturing industries increased for the second consecutive month, rising by 0.9%. The most significant increases in output were 3.8% in transport equipment industries, 3.3% in chemicals and man made fibres industries and 3.4% in rubber and plastic products industries. The most significant decreases in output were 2.5% in electrical and optical equipment industries and 1.4% in paper, printing and publishing industries.
German industrial output fell in July after rising in June, signalling the recovery from recession may be gradual.
Production dropped 0.9% from June, when it rose a revised 0.8% the Economy Ministry in Berlin said today. It had initially reported a 0.1% decline in June output. From a year earlier, production declined 17 percent when adjusted for the number of work days.
Exports and factory orders rose in July and business confidence climbed for a fifth month in August.
July’s output fall was driven by a 3.2% drop in investment goods production and 3.9% dip in energy output, the ministry said. Construction dropped 2.3%. Intermediate goods output gained 1.8% and production of durable goods such as household appliances rose 1.2%.
