Highlights
The goods producing sector saw out 2009 on a moderately optimistic note. Total industrial production rose a stronger than expected 0.5 percent on the month while the key manufacturing category saw a much larger than forecast 0.9 percent gain.

Even so, previous steep losses ensured that the annual growth rates for both series remained firmly negative. Hence, compared with a year ago, industrial production was down 3.6 percent while manufacturing output was 1.9 percent weaker.

In addition to the jump in the manufacturing sector, December's monthly increase in overall production reflected a 4.2 percent output gain in the utilities' area. Combined, the increases here more than offset a 5.0 percent contraction in mining and quarrying and a 5.5 percent decline in oil and gas extraction.

The latest data left industrial production up 0.4 percent on the quarter. This compares with the 0.1 percent increase estimated by the ONS in its first stab at fourth quarter GDP growth and so points to an upward revision of perhaps 0.1 percentage points when the second estimate is released. Quarterly manufacturing output was up 0.8 percent, its best performance since 2006 and its first advance of any size since the start of 2008.

Manufacturing's emergence from recession is long overdue and, optimistically, industrial surveys suggest that the New Year got off to a promising start as well. Nonetheless, industry remains very cautious about the outlook for 2010 as a whole and is likely to stay so until it sees a significant, and sustainable, upswing in domestic demand.

2010 Release Schedule

Released On: 1/13 2/10 3/10 4/8 5/11 6/11 7/8 8/6 9/8 10/7 11/9 12/7 Released For: Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct