Industries feel heat as output and orders fall

ACTIVITY in the UK manufacturing sector contracted at its fastest pace for five months in September after orders dropped, according to new figures.

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The downturn came as firms linked to the car industry also warned that their supply chains were affected by production shutdowns at Jaguar Land Rover.

The S&P Global UK manufacturing PMI survey, watched closely by economists, showed a reading of 46.2 for the month, decreasing from 47.0 in August.

Any reading above 50 indicates that activity is growing while any score below means it is contracting. It was in line with economist expectations for the month.