Manufacturing growth shot up in June
Manufacturing output surged in June at the strongest pace since the end of 2010, according to figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS).
Manufacturing output rose 1.9% month-on-month in June, following declines in both May and April.
This growth came at more than twice the rate expected by analysts.
The latest upbeat news follows a stream of positive economic data showing an improvement in the UK economy.
Overall, industrial production, which covers output from the UK's factories and mines, rose by 1.1% between May 2013 and June 2013.
The figure was held back by lower oil and gas extraction and a fall in energy output, the ONS said.
However, manufacturers reported rises in output across all sectors, with the strongest contribution coming from transport equipment, up 5.3%.
Lee Hopley, chief economist at manufacturers' organisation EEF, said chemicals, electrical equipment and transport had shown particular strength over the past three months.
"The production data gives further weight to the view that manufacturing activity will continue to gain pace, becoming a more important contributor to growth in the year ahead," she said.
Manufacturing output was up 0.7% between the first and second quarters of 2013 and up 2% from June 2012.
The statistics mirrored the recent manufacturing PMI survey by Markit, which indicated that the sector grew at its fastest pace for more than two years in July.
There have also been strong showings in the PMI survey from the services and construction sectors, which expanded in July at their fastest rates since 2006 and 2010 respectively.
Source: BBC News - Business http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-23584843#sa-ns_mchannel=rss&ns_source=PublicRSS20-sa
