In the 3 months to May 2017 compared with the 3 months to February 2017, the Index of Production was estimated to have decreased by 1.2%, due mainly to falls of 1.1% in manufacturing and 3.5% in energy supply.

The largest contribution to the fall in manufacturing came from the highly volatile pharmaceutical industry along with a range of other industries while the fall in energy supply was due largely to warmer temperatures.

In the 3 months to May 2017 compared with the same 3 months a year ago, the Index of Production increased by 0.1%; this was due mainly to a rise of 0.9% in manufacturing where there were broad-based upwards contributions from most manufacturing industries.

In May 2017, total production was estimated to have decreased by 0.1% compared with April 2017, due to falls of 0.2% in manufacturing and 0.8% in energy supply; transport equipment provided the largest contribution to the manufacturing decrease, followed by food products, beverages and tobacco.