U.K. rise in manufacturing strongest since 1995

LONDON
U.K. manufacturers reported the fastest growth in output in the three months to November since the mid-1990s and incoming orders from customers also increased at the swiftest rate in almost two decades, a survey showed
The results are the latest indication that a recovery in the U.K. economy that began in January will continue, and is gathering pace
The Confederation of British Industry said the percentage of manufacturers reporting higher output in the three months to November outweighed those reporting a fall by a wide margin, to give a balance of +29
That is up from +8 in the October survey, and marks the highest level since January 1995
A similar balance of firms expect output to grow further in the coming three months
The net percentage of firms reporting an increase in orders rose to +11, the highest since March 1995
"This new evidence shows encouraging signs of a broadening and deepening recovery in the manufacturing sector," said Stephen Gifford, the CBI's director of economics
The U.K. economy accelerated in the third quarter of the year
Officials from the Bank of England expect a further pickup in growth between October and December, according to their latest forecasts published this month