UK manufacturing PMI surprises positively in November

Activity in the UK manufacturing sector continues to expand at a healthy pace, with the Markit UK manufacturing bettering expectations and coming in at 58.2 for November as against previous month's reading of 56.3 and 56.5 expected.

Key Points:

   •  Output, new orders and employment all rise at faster rates
   •  Investment goods new orders increase at steepest pace since August 1994

Rob Dobson, Director at IHS Markit, comments: " “UK manufacturing shifted up a gear in November, with growth of output, new orders and employment all gathering pace. On its current course, manufacturing production is rising at a quarterly rate approaching 2%, providing a real boost to the pace of broader economic expansion.”