According to the latest Economic Review report released by the UK's Office for National Statistics (ONS), in July this year manufacturing output rose by 3.2 percent over June, more than reversing the 2.9 percent month-on-month decrease in June. According to the ONS, manufacturing output in the UK has been on a declining trend since early 2011, but the positive result for the single month of July is not sufficient evidence that the period of weakness is coming to an end. Manufacturing output in July reached its highest level since September 2011, although it was still 0.5 percent lower than a year earlier.
Meanwhile, the report shows that the total construction output in the country in July was 10.1 percent lower than a year earlier. The biggest falls were in the public sector and infrastructure, especially new work, which fell by around 14 percent over the period. On the other hand, the price of imported metals fell by 13.8 percent in the year to August, reflecting slowing global growth and reduced demand for inputs into infrastructure projects.