U.K. Factories, Builders Cut Output, Clouding Growth Outlook
- Manufacturing shrinks 0.2%, led by big decline in car output
- Widening deficit raises questions about contribution of trade
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U.K. factories and construction firms unexpectedly cut output in May, casting doubt over the performance of the economy in the second quarter.
Manufacturing fell 0.2 percent from April as vehicle production posted the biggest drop in more than a year, the Office for National Statistics said Friday. Total industrial production declined 0.1 percent. Building output shrank by 1.2 percent.