Official figures show that British manufacturing output fell unexpectedly in April, having soared in March.
Output in April dropped 0.4% from March but it grew by 3.4% on a 12-month basis, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said. Output in March had jumped 2.2% from the February level in the biggest rise for eight years.
Economists had expected manufacturing output, which accounts for about 13% of Britain's economy, to increase in April by 0.4%.
The ONS said the month-on-month drop was driven by weaker production of transport equipment, food and drink, and electrical and optical equipment.
A broader measure of industrial production, which includes mining and quarrying, and electricity, gas, and water supply, was also 0.4% weaker in April compared with March, but was 2.1% stronger on the year, the ONS said.
