For December
Provided by: Markit Economics
Official Release: PDF

From the Release: "January data from CIPS/Markit signalled that the UK manufacturing sector built on its solid end to 2009. The headline seasonally adjusted Purchasing Managers’ Index® (PMI®) rose to 56.7, from an upwardly revised figure of 54.6 in December, to record its highest level since October 1994.

The headline PMI – which provides a single figure indication of operating conditions in the manufacturing sector – has now remained above its no-change level of 50.0 for four consecutive months. The index is calculated using data collected on new orders, production, employment, supplier performance and stocks of purchases."

For December
Provided by: Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply (CIPS) (subcr. req') (PDF)

• Manufacturing PMI rose to a twenty-five month high.
• Growth of output and new orders strengthened.
• Weaker fall in employment. Price pressures building.
  

The UK manufacturing sector ended 2009 on a positive footing. The headline seasonally adjusted CIPS/Markit Purchasing Managers’ Index® (PMI®) reached a twenty-five month high of 54.1 in December, up sharply from 51.8 in November. The average reading for Q4 2009 as a whole was the highest since the final quarter of 2007.

For November
Provided by: Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply (CIPS) (subcr. req')

For October
Provided by: Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply (CIPS) (subcr. req')

For September
Provided by: Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply (CIPS) (subcr. req')

For August
Provided by: Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply (CIPS) (subcr. req')

The UK manufacturing sector took a step back in August contracting slightly as the index fell below the 50 level separating growth from contraction. Firms continued to shed jobs as new orders slowed. The decline in the index surprised forecasts and show that the UK recovery will be uneven.

For July
Provided by: Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply (CIPS) (subcr. req')

The UK manufacturing sector expanded in July, according to its Manufacturing PMI, which rose above the 50 level separating expansion from contraction for the first time in more than year. The PMI index climbed to 50.8 from 47.4, which is the best reading since March of 2008. The report showed that new orders rose the most since November 2007, as companies have begun restocking their inventories that they ran down during the recession. A rebound in manfuacturing is one of the signs needed for the UK economy to show growth the rest of the year, though higher unemployment remains a troubling concern poingting to a slow recovery.

For June
Provided by: Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply (CIPS)
(subcr. req')

The manufacturing sector in the UK, though continuing to shrink in May, did so at a slower pace. The manufacturing PMI rose to 47, which was above expectations and continuing a trend of improvement seen the last 4 months. Its the highest the index has been since last May. The economy shrank by its largest amount in half a century in the 1st quarter and data has fueled expectations for a better second quarter. The Bank of England has kept interest rates at 0.5% and has been buying bonds through newly created money in an attempt to increase lending. Their next meeting is July 9th.

For May
Provided by: Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply (CIPS)
(subcr. req')

The UK manufacturing PMI rose to 45.4 in April, adding to signs that the UK recession my be past its worst phase. Though the figure remains below 50, which is the level separating growth from contraction, May's figure is the best in a year, and was better than anticipated. The central bank, which has put rates at a record low of 0.50% and is currently conducting a 125 billion pound bond-buying plan, will remain cautious about optimism that the economy is rebounding.