Following on from a previous post highlighting the slower than expected growth in the manufacturing industry, it was great to read today that output growth has accelerated.

A report from The CBI Industrial Trends Survey has revealed that manufacturing order books remain positive and growth has gained momentum over the last month.

The automotive sector was singled out as the largest contributor to the improved outlook and has resulted in growth at one of the fastest rates since 1975, with predictions looking their best since September.

Anna Leach, CBI head of economic analysis, said: “The manufacturing sector shows continued signs of improvement, with demand high and steady and output growing strongly.

“Growth is increasingly broad-based and firms’ growth expectations are the highest for several months. As the UK and global economies continue to strengthen, we expect conditions to improve.”