Manufacturing output starts year well

The ONS said: "This increase reflects rises of 3.3% in manufacturing (the largest component of production) and 12.6% in water supply, sewerage & waste management output." The main manufacturing components contributing to the increase were the manufacture of rubber, plastic products and other non-metallic mineral products, machinery, and transport equipment. Total production increased by 0.1% between December 2013 and January 2014. Lee Hopley, chief economist at EEF, the manufacturers' organisation, said: "As a number of business surveys have so far suggested, manufacturing entered 2014 with a fair wind behind it with a majority of sub-sectors posting gains on the month. "While the picture isn't universally positive, strength seen in sectors from machinery and transport to plastics and non-metallic minerals suggest there are a number of factors driving growth in the sector, including improving investment intentions and a brighter construction outlook. The sector is on track for a fourth consecutive quarter of growth as we forecast a 0.8% output increase in 2014q1." EEF said it would publish it's Q1 manufacturing outlook survey on Monday 17 March.