UK factory output begins to stabilise after eight-month slump

Reduced political uncertainty boosting optimism but growth remains slow, survey finds

Britain's manufacturing sector showed signs of stabilising last month to emerge from the longest downturn since the financial crisis, according to a survey.

The monthly snapshot from IHS Markit and the Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply, which is closely watched by the Treasury for early warning signals from the UK economy, showed that factory output remained steady in January after eight months of contraction.