UK industrial production rose by 6% in May, as expected

Office for National Statistics said, in May 2020 the index of production remains 19.1% below February 2020, the previous month of "normal" trading conditions, prior to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

Production output rose by 6.0% between April 2020 and May 2020, with manufacturing providing the largest upward contribution, rising by 8.4%, the largest month-on-month rise since February 1979 (9.5%); there were also rises from mining and quarrying (5.0%) and water and waste (0.5%), which was offset by a fall in electricity and gas (down by negative 2.5%).

The monthly increase of 8.4% in manufacturing output was led by rubber and plastic products (32.5%); of the 13 subsectors, 11 displayed upward contributions.

Total production output decreased by 15.5% for the three months to May 2020, compared with the three months to February 2020; this was led by manufacturing output, which fell by 18.0%.

The three-monthly fall in manufacturing is because of widespread weakness, with 12 of the 13 subsectors providing downward contributions; this was led by transport equipment which fell by 45.7%.

For the three months to May 2020, compared with the three months to May 2019, production output decreased by 17.0%; this was led by a fall in manufacturing of 19.9% where 12 of the 13 subsectors displayed downward contributions.