UK industrial production slows down in September, manufacturing surges ahead

Industrial production in the UK grew less than expected in September, data released on Friday showed.

According to the Office for National Statistics, total production rose 1.1% year-on-year in September, compared with an upwardly revised 1.8% gain in August and with analysts’ expectations for a 1.3% gain.

The ONS attributed the increase to a rise in the three of the four main industrial sectors, with mining and quarrying output surging 8.6%

However, industrial production declined 0.2% month-on-month in September, dragged lower by a 4.9% fall in the mining and quarrying sector.

Meanwhile, manufacturing output in Britain registered its biggest since April 2014 in September, rising 0.8% month-on-month, compared with a 0.4% gain in the previous month.

Production declined 0.4% quarter-on-quarter in the three months to the end of September, while total production grew 0.2% over the period.

On a year-on-year basis, manufacturing output declined 0.6% compared with an upwardly revised 0.9% decline in the previous month and with consensus forecast for a 0.7% drop.