The industrial sector activity lost its recovery traction in April, the latest UK industrial and manufacturing production data published by Office for National Statistics (ONS) showed on Wednesday.
Manufacturing output arrived at -0.3% MoM in April versus -0.2% expected and 0.7% seen in March while total industrial output came in at -0.3% MoM vs. -0.1% expected and 0.7% last.
On a yearly basis, the UK Manufacturing Production data came in at -0.9% in April, meeting expectations of -0.9%. Total Industrial Output dropped by 1.9% in the fourth month of the year against -1.7% expected and the previous print of -2.0%.
Separately, the UK goods trade balance numbers were published, which arrived at GBP-14.996 billion in March versus GBP-16.50 billion expectations and GBP-16.356 billion last. The total trade balance (non-EU) came in at GBP-5.035 billion in March versus GBP-5.458 billion previous.