In the 3 months to February 2017, manufacturing increased by 2.1% (unchanged from the 3 months to January 2017), continuing its strongest growth since May 2010 - total production was estimated to have increased by 1.6%, with manufacturing providing the largest contribution.

The transport equipment sector provided the largest contribution to the manufacturing increase, along with smaller upwards contributions from a range of other manufacturing industries.

In February 2017, total production decreased by 0.7% compared with January 2017 with falls in all four main sectors, with electricity and gas providing the largest downward contribution, decreasing by 3.4%.