Greater manufacturing output, coupled with weaker jobs growth and fewer hours worked, helped British productivity to the biggest increase for six years David Davies / PAThe UK’s productivity rate has jumped by the greatest amount in six years, rebounding from a slump and giving a rare sign of hope for a problem that has plagued the economy since the financial crisis. Output per hour increased by 0.9 per cent in the three months to the end of September, which was the biggest increase since the second quarter of 2011, the Office for National Statistics said. Compared with a year ago it was 0.8 per cent higher, the most since the end of 2016. The figure came after falls of 0.1 per cent and 0.5 per cent in the third and second quarters respectively. Economists said that the rise was the result of stronger growth in manufacturing, weaker jobs growth and…

Source: The Times January 05, 2018 12:09 UTC