EEF NW comment on IoP data

Commenting on today’s IoP data, David Ost, North West Region Director at EEF, the manufacturers’ organisation, said: “Manufacturing edged higher in July, another welcome sign that the recovery is getting underway.

"While the expansion was not as strong as June’s, output levels are now at their highest for a year with gains spread across a number of sectors, including food, electronics and transport.

"The trade picture doesn’t look quite as positive for July, but exports to EU markets were stable and a range of recent surveys have pointed to growing confidence about orders growth at home and from overseas.

"The data supports our view that manufacturing will continue to expand in the coming quarters, strengthening into 2014.”