HOPES of a recovery in the manufacturing sector were put on hold last night following weaker-than-expected production figures for August.
Factory output decreased by 0.2 per cent on the previous month, with the performance covering a broader range of industrial sectors also down 0.9 per cent, mainly because of one-off factors affecting oil and gas extraction.
The latest figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) offset signs of optimism earlier this week from the Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply after it indicated activity levels improved in September.
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