UK Industrial Output Hits 9-Month High

Industrial production in the UK rose 0.8% month-on-month in August 2026, accelerating from an upwardly revised 0.3% increase in the previous month and defying market expectations of a 0.1% decline. It marked the strongest monthly gain since November 2025, driven by faster manufacturing output (1.2% vs 1.0% in July), led by basic pharmaceutical manufacturing (5.1%), which accounted for over half of the overall monthly growth in the sub-sector. Output also rebounded in mining and quarrying (1.4% vs -4.1%) and electricity, gas, steam and air-conditioning supply (0.1% vs -1.8%). In contrast, output in water supply, sewerage and waste management fell 1.2%, reversing a 1.9% increase in July. On a yearly basis, industrial production growth climbed to 1.6% from a downwardly revised 0.8% in July, surpassing market expectations of 0.7%.

Industrial production in the UK rose 0.2% month-on-month in July 2026, defying market expectations of a 0.2% decline and rebounding from a 0.2% drop in the previous month. This marked the first monthly gain since April, driven by a recovery in manufacturing output, which grew 0.9% after falling 0.5% in the previous month. The strongest contribution came from the manufacture of computer, electronic and optical products, where output climbed 3.9%. Overall output was also supported by water supply, sewerage and waste management, which rose 2.0% following a 1.5% decline in June. Meanwhile, output in mining and quarrying fell 4.4% after a 5.1% increase, while electricity, gas, steam and air-conditioning supply contracted 1.5%, slipping further from a 0.3% decline in the prior month. On a yearly basis, industrial production rose 0.6% in July, surpassing market expectations of a 0.2% rise and rebounding from a 0.2% fall in the previous month.

Industrial production in the UK fell 0.2% month-on-month in June 2026, defying market expectations of a 0.1% increase, albeit easing from a 0.7% drop in the previous month. Mining and quarrying output rebounded sharply (5.1% vs -5.1% in May), supported by a strong recovery in crude petroleum and natural gas extraction (6.2% vs -5.5%). In addition, declines eased in water supply, sewerage, and waste management activities (-1.5% vs -3.1%). On the other hand, manufacturing output remained under pressure (-0.5% vs -0.2%), weighed down primarily by production of basic pharmaceutical products and preparations (-5.1% vs 0.2%) and computer, electronic, and optical products (-0.9% vs 2.1%). On a quarterly basis, industrial production showed no growth. On a yearly basis, industrial output fell 0.2%, defying forecasts of 0.2% rise and reversing May’s 1% gain. It also marked the first annual decline since February.