The fall of 0.5% in total production output for the three months to July 2018, compared with the three months to April 2018, is due primarily to a fall of 4.5% in electricity and gas supply, resulting from less demand due to higher than average temperatures during May to July 2018.

In the three months to July 2018, manufacturing fell by 0.1%, due primarily to a fall in machinery and equipment and metal products.

In July 2018, total production output was estimated to have increased by 0.1% compared with June 2018, due primarily to a rise in mining and quarrying of 3.3%; within oil and gas extraction, there was a return to production, following planned maintenance during June 2018.

The monthly decrease in manufacturing output of 0.2% was due mainly to a fall of 7.5% in basic pharmaceutical products; this was largely offset by widespread strength throughout the rest of the sector, with 8 of the 13 sub-sectors rising.