"The good news is that manufacturing clocked up a fifth straight rise, whilst cost pressures have eased a little and some firms are still recruiting"
- Lee Hopley, chief economist at EEF
U.K. manufacturing sector expanded less than forecast in April, the Markit/CIPS purchasing managers' index showed on Tuesday. The index declined to 50.5 down from 51.9 in March. Reading above 50.0 indicates industry expansion.
"The good news is that manufacturing clocked up a fifth straight rise, whilst cost pressures have eased a little and some firms are still recruiting," said Lee Hopley, chief economist at EEF, the manufacturers' organisation.
"The bad is that ever-present eurozone woes are still bearing down on the short term outlook, with some suggestion of renewed downward pressure on export orders over the past month."
Howard Archer, chief UK economist at IHS Global Insight, said the survey was: "Disappointing and an early blow to hopes that the economy will return to growth in the second quarter, especially as the extra day's public holiday resulting from the Queen's Diamond Jubilee will hold back overall economic activity during the quarter."
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