Statistical bulletin: Index of Production, April 2014

Key Points

• Users are reminded that all figures contained within this release are seasonally adjusted estimates.
• Production output increased by 3.0% between April 2013 and April 2014. All the main sectors, except for electricity, gas, steam & air conditioning, were higher than they were a year ago. Manufacturing increased by 4.4% over the same period.
• The main manufacturing components contributing to the increase between April 2013 and April 2014 were rubber, plastic & other non-metallic mineral products; transport equipment; and food products, beverages & tobacco.
• Total production increased by 0.4% between March 2014 and April 2014. There were decreases in two of the main sectors, with mining & quarrying being the largest contributor, decreasing by 1.1% and water supply, sewerage & waste management by 0.7%.
• Manufacturing also increased by 0.4% between March 2014 and April 2014. The main contributors to the increase were transport equipment; computer, electronic & optical products; and rubber, plastic & other non-metallic mineral products.
• Production and manufacturing were currently 11.3% and 7.0% respectively below the pre-downturn GDP peak reached in Q1 2008.
• In this release, the earliest period open for revision was January 2013. The impact on previously published estimates resulting from revisions to these periods is minimal.

Source: Office for National Statistics licensed under the Open Government Licence v.1.0.