In addition to the industrial production and trade figures there is construction output results also.
Despite financial market volatility business sentiment in February was (relatively) strong, which should be reflected in an increase in manufacturing production and also construction output, and a narrowing of the trade deficit
This preview via Nomura:
Trade balance:
- January's goods deficit widened by just over £0.5bn to £12.3bn thanks to a worsening in the underlying position which more than offset a surge in the erratics surplus. We look for a small improvement in the deficit in February.
Industrial production:
- Manufacturing production has risen for nine months in a row
- helped by a combination of strong global growth and a weak sterling
- While there is always the risk of an erratic fall in these figures in any given month (they can be highly volatile), the surveys give us no reason not to forecast another rise in February.
