UK manufacturing sinks further into trouble

As well as delivering news of a measly 0.2 percent growth rate in Q4 2018, the latest GDP figures from the Office for National Statistics revealed a manufacturing sector in recession. As our chart shows, negative year-on-year growth in the last two three-month periods of 2018 of -0.70 percent and -1.50 percent have plunged the key economic pillar into serious trouble.

Commenting on the latest results, Frances O’Grady, general secretary of the TUC, said: “The prime minister’s failure to rule out a no-deal Brexit is harming confidence in the economy and holding back growth...With our manufacturing sector in recession, the prime minister must act now to remove the threat of crashing out.”.