UK manufacturing ‘stuck in doldrums’ in June, latest survey shows

The Purchasing Managers’ Index survey came in at 54.4 in the month, up slightly on May’s figure but well down from the recent peak of 58 at the end of 2017

Business optimism fell to its lowest in seven months, with firms highlighting concerns over Brexit and trade (PA)

UK manufacturers remained “stuck in the doldrums” in June, meaning the sector is unlikely to contribute to overall growth in the second quarter.

The Purchasing Managers’ Index survey came in at 54.4 in the month, up slightly on May’s figure but well down from the recent peak of 58 at the end of 2017.

“With industry potentially stuck in the doldrums, the UK economy will need to look to other sectors if GDP growth is to match expectations in the latter half of the year,” said Rob Dobson of information provider IHS Markit, which compiled the PMI survey.

Business optimism fell to its lowest in seven months, with firms highlighting concerns over Brexit and trade.

Economists also pointed out that growth in output, as suggested by the survey, is being sustained through firms reducing their work backlogs at the fastest rate since August 2016 and by inventory-building.

The most recent official data suggests that manufacturing, which accounts for 10 per cent of the economy, contracted by 1.4 per cent in April, its worst month in more than five years.

This implies the sector’s output has fallen every month so far in 2018, following a boom in late 2017.

“Risks for the sector remain in everything from the weakness of sterling, the threat of trade tariffs and more difficult international trade terms, Brexit and those higher input prices from commodity markets. The trend in UK manufacturing is one of weakness and this figure confirms that fact,” said Jerermy Thomson-Cook of the foreign exchange firm WordFirst.

The June PMI for construction will be released on Tuesday, followed by the reading for services – which account for 80 per cent of the economy – on Wednesday.