UK factory output falls again as rising costs and weak demand hit manufacturers UK factory output continued its downward trend in January, with manufacturers reporting that cost inflation had reached a two-year peak.
Rob Dobson, director at S&P Global Market Intelligence, which conducted the survey, noted that while rising costs were affecting small producers most severely, larger companies "fared better, seeing output and new orders recover during January".
New orders and employment opportunities continued to decline across the board, with firms warning that the UK's weak economic outlook was having the greatest impact on smaller factories.
The S&P Global UK manufacturing PMI survey, which is closely monitored by economists, posted a score of 48.3 last month, from 47 in December.
"There nevertheless seems little scope for any imminent improvement in performance across the board,", citing poor demand both domestically and internationally.
