June 11th, 2010 
Emily Young 
() London – Manufacturing output fell unexpectedly in April following strong growth in the previous two months, according to figures released by National Statistics Friday.
Manufacturing output was down 0.4% on the month in April and up 3.4% on the same month a year earlier. The outturn was far weaker than the median forecast for a rise of 0.5% on the month and 3.7% on the year.
While the weaker figures will cause many to question just how robust the recovery in the sector is, the decline follows two months of exceedingly strong growth.
On a trend basis, manufacturing output rose 2.5% in the latest three months compared with the previous three months, the strongest increase since October 1998.
National Statistics said that they had not received any anecdotal evidence that the disruption to air travel from the ash cloud during the month had hit output.
Within the 13 manufacturing sub-sectors there were falls in output in 6 and rises in 6. The main falls came in transport equipment and food, drink and tobacco.
The wider measure of industrial production rose also fell by 0.4% on the month and was up 2.1% on the year. Analysts had expected to see a rise of 0.4% on the month and 2.2% on the year.
Electricity, gas and water supply output fell 0.5% on the month while mining and quarrying was flat with oil and gas output falling 0.3%
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Tags: April, Manufacturing Output