UK manufacturing shrinks; output down 0.9% in May

UK industrial production fell by 0.9 per cent in May 2025, following consecutive declines of 0.6 per cent in April and 0.2 per cent in March, according to the Office of National Statistics (ONS).

The monthly downturn was mainly driven by a 1 per cent fall in manufacturing output, as 9 of the 13 manufacturing subsectors recorded declines.

Despite the broad weakness, the ‘machinery and equipment not elsewhere classified’ subsector posted a 3.4 per cent increase, offering some positive contribution to the overall figures.

Looking at the broader trend, production output rose by 0.2 per cent in the three months to May 2025 compared with the three months to February 2025. This modest growth was attributed to a rebound from subdued activity in December and January, followed by a stronger performance in February.

ALCHEMPro News Desk (HU)