LONDON (AFX) - Total output of the UK production industries rose a seasonally adjusted 1.0 pct month-on-month in August, which left it 2.4 pct down on the year, according to National Statistics. The AFX News median of analysts' forecasts was for August industrial output to be down 0.2 pct on the month for a 3.7 pct year-on-year fall.
In the three months to August, output fell 0.6 pct compared with the previous three months for a year-on-year fall of 2.6 pct. NS said latest estimates suggest trend production growth of -2.5 pct, which compares with a -4.0 reading last month. There was a 0.8 pct month-on-month fall in mining and quarrying output, while oil and gas extraction was down 1.2 pct on the month. Output of the gas, electricity and water supply industries fell 0.5 pct.
Manufacturing output was up 1.4 pct in August for a year-on-year fall of 2.0 pct.
The AFX News median of analysts' forecasts was for August manufacturing output to have dipped 0.3 pct on the month for a 3.8 pct year-on-year fall.
Manufacturing output was down 0.9 pct in the three months to August when compared with the previous three months and was down 2.3 pct from a year ago.
The latest data left the trend in manufacturing output down 4.0 pct, compared with -6.0 pct last month.
Significant rises in the latest three months were reported in transport equipment, chemicals and man-made fibres and mining and quarrying, as well as paper printing and publishing among others, with offsetting falls recorded in the electrical and optical equipment, basic metals and metal products, and machinery sand equipment sectors.
Figures below show seasonally adjusted percentage changes 3m/yr - latest three months on same period a year ago
TOTAL INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTION
Index m/m y/y 3m/3m 3m/yr
2001 Aug 104.7 1.0 -2.4 -0.6 -2.6

Forecasts: Median -0.2 -3.7

July 103.7 -0.5 -3.2 -1.3 -2.5
June 104.2 0.1 -2.3 -1.2 -1.8
2000 Aug 107.2 0.4 1.5 1.0 1.8

TOTAL MANUFACTURING PRODUCTION
Index m/m y/y 3m/3m 3m/yr
2001 Aug 103.7 1.4 -2.0 -0.9 -2.3
Forecasts: Median -0.3 -3.8

July 102.3 -0.9 -3.0 -2.1 -2.4
June 103.1 0.3 -1.9 -2.0 -1.3

2000 Aug 105.8 0.7 1.3 0.8 1.7

SECTORAL BREAKDOWN FOR AUGUST

Weights m/3m 3m/yr
Durable goods 53 2.7 0.4
Non-durable goods 214 1.2 2.6
Investment goods 182 -3.2 -2.1
Intermediate goods 551 -0.5 -5.0
Mining and quarrying 95 2.3 -5.8
of which - oil and gas extraction 80 2.3 -5.9
Electricity, gas, water supply 91 -0.4 -1.9
Food, drink and tobacco 106 0.7 1.4
Textiles leather and clothing 45 0.3 -10.6
Coke, petroland nuclear 17 1.1 -5.0
Chemicals 89 1.5 4.2
Metals 94 -1.7 -1.3
Engineering 251 -2.7 -5.1
Other manufacturing 208 -0.5 -2.1