Official data issued last month suggests manufacturing could be climbing out of the doldrums. Manufacturing output rose for the fourth month running in July, beating forecasts, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

Manufacturing production rose by 0.1 per cent in July, whereas analysts were predicting an unchanged output for the month. The rise marks the longest stretch of uplifts in almost five years, and follows a manufacturing recession in the first half of the year.

According to the ONS, the monthly rise was driven by a pickup in transport equipment output, especially motor vehicle and engine production, recently hit by the demise of MG Rover.

However, overall industrial production (including the energy extraction industries) was poorer than expected, dropping off by 0.3 per cent in July on routine maintenance work at oil and gas production sites.

Amid September’s manufacturing highlights, Stadium, the electronic manufacturing services provider, released strong interim figures to end-June. Despite evidence of more challenging trading conditions, pre-tax profits powered ahead by 34 per cent to £1.34 million and earnings per share surged 38 per cent north to 3.6p on a small four per cent sales rise to £18.1 million.

Stadium Group	AIM	£12.39m	43.00p	0.00p
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