Manufacturing employment has increased to the highest level in more than three years, a new survey has revealed.
The Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply and Markit’s PMI survey found factory activity in the UK rose to 58 in April, up from 57.3 in March, on a scale where any figure over 50 indicates rising activity, the Times has reported.
This rise was well above the consensus forecast for the industry and the highest reading since September 1994, when the UK’s economy was also emerging from a deep recession.
Rob Dobson, senior economist at Markit, said: “Manufacturers reported a flying start to the second quarter. The feeding through of rapid output growth to job creation is particularly good news.”
The upturn in manufacturing has been led by a growth in exports.