UK manufacturing production arrives at 0.9% m/m in March, beats estimates

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) published the UK industrial and manufacturing production data on Friday, with the overall industrial activity showing a solid improvement in the month of March.

Manufacturing output arrived at 0.9% m/m in Mar versus 0.2% expectations and 1.0% (revised from 00.9%) booked in Feb, while total industrial output came in at 0.7% vs. 0.1% expected and 0.6% last.     

On an annualized basis, the UK manufacturing production figures came in at 2.6% in Mar, beating expectations of 1.3% by a big margin. Total industrial output jumped by 1.3% in Mar, bettering expectations of a 0.5% reading and against the previous 0.4% (revised up from 0.1%) print.

Separately, the UK goods trade balance numbers were published, which arrived at GBP –13.650 billion in Mar, versus GBP -13.800 billion expectations and GBP -14.434 billion last. Total trade balance (non-EU) came in at GBP -4.361 billion in Mar versus GBP -6.217 billion previous.