Industrial production suffers monthly decline

Along with a 6% slump in oil and gas production, mining and quarrying output fell 5.7%. Energy supply output, however, increased 1.2% on the month, powered by increases in electricity and water supply. Bucking the downward monthly trend was manufacturing, rising 0.3% on the month, with increases in the chemicals, metals, food, drink and tobacco industries largely driving the increase. On an annual basis, the industrial outlook was healthier, with both overall production and total manufacturing seeing increases. Year-on-year, overall production output in June was 1.3% higher than the c...