The UK’s manufacturing output grew at the fastest pace this year in July, according to official figures.
Output rose by 0.5% in the month, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said, as car production rebounded after declining in June.
Recent surveys of the manufacturing sector have suggested that it is seeing a pick-up in orders and output.
However, separate figures from the ONS indicated that there was little change in the UK’s trade deficit during July.
The trade deficit in goods and services was barely changed at £2.872bn, while the deficit in goods widened slightly to £11.576bn, compared with June’s downwardly revised figure of £11.527bn.
Earlier on Friday, the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) said the UK’s economy was “treading water” and there was “no sign on the horizon of a return to healthier levels of growth”.
However, it has cut its growth forecast for next year to 1.2% from 1.3%, and for 2019 to 1.4% from 1.5%.
It said the cut in its forecast for next year was due to a weaker contribution from net trade, with imports expected to increase, and slower growth in consumer spending.