United Kingdom Manufacturing Production1969-2019 Data | 2020-2022 Forecast

Manufacturing production in the United Kingdom fell 2.5 percent year-on-year in December of 2019, following an upwardly revised 3.3 percent drop in November which was the worst decline since February of 2013. It marks the 9th straight month of annual declines in factory activity and compares with market expectations of a smaller 1 percent fall. On a monthly basis, manufacturing production rose 0.3 percent, led by a 3.2 percent surge in transport equipment, where the motor vehicles, trailers and semi-trailers industry (5 percent) displayed a partial bounceback following the strong impact from factory shutdowns during November 2019. Considering full 2019, manufacturing shrank 1.5 percent, the largest annual fall since 2009, led by a 6.2 percent contraction in transport equipment.

Manufacturing production in the United Kingdom slumped 2 percent year-on-year in November of 2019, following a downwardly revised 0.3 percent fall in October and worse than market expectations of a 1.7 percent drop. It is the biggest annual decline in factory output since December of 2018. On a monthly basis, manufacturing went down 1.7 percent, the most since April of 2019 and the second largest fall since June 2012. It compares with forecasts of a 0.3 percent decline. Main downward contributions came from motor vehicles, trailers and semi-trailers industry (-6.1 percent), which was impacted by factory shutdowns during November 2019; widespread weakness from chemicals and chemical products (-4.7 percent), following on from the impact of maintenance and shutdowns; and food, beverages and tobacco (-1.8 percent) because of widespread weakness, led by an export-driven fall from alcoholic beverages, which fell by 4 percent.

Manufacturing production in the United Kingdom declined 1.2% yoy in October 2019, lower than a 1.8% drop in September and market forecasts of a 1.4% fall. On a monthly basis, factory output edged up 0.2%, rebounding from a 0.4% fall in September and beating expectations of a flat reading. The largest upward contribution came from pharmaceutical products (2.1%, following two consecutive periods of significant monthly weakness). Other positive contributions came from food, beverages and tobacco (0.6%), led by the impact of large businesses within other food products and motor vehicles, trailers and semi-trailers industry (0.9%), which was impacted by the production of new models. In contrast, production fell for basic metals and metal products (-1.6%), driven by weakness within fabricated metal products and basic iron and steel; and electrical equipment, which fell by 4.3% because of cumulative weakness from large businesses.

Manufacturing production in the United Kingdom declined 1.8% yoy in September of 2019, following 1.6% decrease in the prior month and compared with market forecasts of a 1.6% fall. It is the sixth straight month of annual declines in manufacturing. On a month-over-month basis, industrial output dropped 0.4% after a 0.7% drop in August, amid widespread weakness, with 8 of the 13 subsectors falling. The largest downward contribution came from the pharmaceutical products subsector, which fell by 5.1%. Elsewhere, smaller negative contributions from rubber and plastics products (-1%); wood, paper and paper products (-0.8%); chemicals and chemical products (-0.7%) and other manufacturing and repair (-0.5%) were partially offset by upward contributions from computer, electronic and optical products, and basic metals and metal products, which rose by 1.3% and 0.4% respectively. Considering Q3, factory output dropped 1.4% yoy and stalled compared with the previous three months.