British industrial production falls 2.3% in May

The British industrial production fell by 2.3 percent between May 2012 and May 2013, said Office of National Statistics (ONS) Tuesday in London. Three of the main sectors expect for water supply, sewerage and waste management, were lower than they were a year ago. Manufacturing fell by 2.9 percent over the same period, according the latest figure released by ONS. The main manufacturing components contributing to the fall between May 2012 and May 2013 were the manufacture of machinery and equipment not elsewhere classified; the manufacture of rubber and plastic products and other non-metallic mineral products; and the manufacture of basic metals and metal products, said ONS. When compared to a month before, industrial production was flat in May, while manufacturing fell by 0.8 percent, marking the second consecutive fall this year. The lackluster industrial production data adds doubt to the country's economic recovery. "May's UK industrial production is something of a disappointment given the upbeat tone of the surveys and indicate that the overall recovery is still largely dependent on the services sector," said Catital Economics, a London-based economic analysis company.