UK manufacturing output grew by 1% in February from January, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) has said.
The rise – driven by pharmaceuticals, transport equipment, food, beverages and tobacco, – was the biggest since September, and ahead of forecasts.
The year-on-year figure saw output 3.8% higher than in the same month of 2013.
Industrial output, which includes power generation and North Sea oil production as well as manufacturing, climbed 0.9% on the month.
The figure bounced back after a weak January, when bad weather hampered North Sea oil and gas output.
Compared with a year previously, industrial output was up 2.7%.
The ONS also said that in the quarter to the end of February – generally considered a better guide to recent trends – manufacturing and industrial production were both up 0.8% on the previous three months.
