UK manufacturing output slowed in January

What happened?

New figures have shown that UK manufacturing output slowed in January.

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said this output contracted by 0.4 per cent compared with December, this is when it fell by 0.9 per cent.

Manufacturing was responsible for the decline.

Construction fell by 0.4 per cent in January, this is down from its previous growth of 1.8 per cent.

Exports rose by £400m, imports increased by £300m.

However, over the three months to January, growth actually grew stronger. Industrial output managed to rise by 1.9 per cent after manufacturing increased by 2.1 per cent, this is the fastest pace since May 2010.

In the same three month construction rose by 1.8 per cent.

Kate Davies, senior statistician at the ONS, said: “Taking the last three months together, construction and manufacturing both grew strongly, with considerable narrowing in Britain’s trade deficit.”