UK manufacturing has largest monthly fall in output for five years

ONS says output fell by 1.4% in April due to wider slowdown in demand for British goods

Britain's factories unexpectedly recorded the sharpest fall in output for more than five years in April amid falling demand for steel and electrical machinery, raising fresh concern over the strength of the economy.

Pointing to fewer orders for steel used in infrastructure projects and a wider slowdown in demand for British goods at home and abroad, the Office for National Statistics said manufacturing output fell by 1.4% in April from the previous month. Economists had forecast modest growth of 0.3%.

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