The UK manufacturing sector remained in a softer growth patch in June, as rates of expansion in production and new orders moderated and remained well below those prevailing in the opening quarter of the year. Over the second quarter as a whole, growth of output and new orders was (on average) the weakest since Q1 2013. The seasonally adjusted Markit/CIPS Purchasing Manager’s Index® (PMI® ) fell to a 26-month low of 51.4 in June, down from a revised reading of 51.9 in May (previously published as 52.0). The PMI has nonetheless remained above the neutral 50.0 mark for 27 consecutive months. June saw UK manufacturing ... (full story)