UK manufacturing output fell in October

Manufacturing output in the UK fell by 0.4% in October from the previous month, official figures have shown.

The figure, from the Office for National Statistics (ONS), was worse than expected and compared with a 0.9% increase seen in September.

Manufacturing output was 0.1% lower than in October a year ago.

On Monday, a survey by industry body the EEF said UK manufacturing was suffering from the "gathering gloom" of the global economy.

The EEF cut its manufacturing forecasts, expecting a 0.1% fall in output this year, with 0.8% growth in 2016.

'Erratic factors'

David Kern, chief economist at the British Chambers of Commerce, said the latest manufacturing figures were "disappointing".

"There are still major challenges facing the sector, particularly in the face of worsening global circumstances and the strength of sterling," he added.

Martin Beck, senior economic adviser to the EY Item Club, said: "The fall in manufacturing output seen in October was weaker than the consensus forecast and left output marginally down on the level a year earlier.

"This was the fifth consecutive month to see the sector contract on an annual basis. However, October's fall only reversed a minority of September's hefty 0.9% rise. And there appears to have been some erratic factors at work in pushing output down. For example, the repair and maintenance of aircraft saw a colossal 21.5% month-on-month contraction."

The ONS figures showed that the wider measure of industrial production increased by 0.1% in October from the month before, and was 1.7% higher from October last year.

These numbers showed three out of four sectors increasing, with mining and quarrying the best performer, growing by 8.5% from a year ago.

However, the ONS said the level of industrial production was still almost 9% below its pre-recession peak reached in early 2008, while manufacturing output was 6.1% below its peak.