FTSE 100 makes marginal gains as manufacturing output falls
The British factory sector’s output has slipped as the FTSE 100 makes marginal gains.
The British factory sector’s output has slipped as the FTSE 100 makes marginal gains.
The FTSE 100 made marginal gains in trading in London this afternoon (December 7th) on news the British factory sector has witnessed a sharp fall in output.
According to the Office for National Statistics, last month manufacturing output fell at its fastest pace since June, sliding to just 1.3 per cent on the month.
September's reading was flat and compared with one year ago November's data was down by 2.1 per cent.
Both these declines are the worst since the end of the April-June quarter, when output was constrained by the extra bank holidays to celebrate the Queen's diamond jubilee.
Meanwhile, estimates from a leading think tank suggest economic expansion in the UK will be slight, with the National Institute for Economic and Social Research's monthly estimate of GDP indicating output grew by 0.1 per cent in the three months to the end of November.
At 15:25 GMT, the FTSE 100 rose by 0.1 per cent to an index value of 5912.4 points.
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