22/03/2002

Rise in car production points to resurgent economy

The UK economy has been boosted again this week with the news that car production rose dramatically to 18.7 per cent last month.

The Office of National Statistics (ONS) has reported that 147,379 cars were made in February compared with 124,163 cars made during the same month last year. The total number of cars made in Britain was 301,747, which represented a 19.2 per cent increase on 2001.

The ONS figures will offer some positives to a beleaguered sector that lost 158,000 jobs in the three months to January.

Christopher Macgowan, chief executive of the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, said: "The positive trend in car production continued in February ... and there is no doubt that Britain is still a great place to build cars."

Reports from the ONS this week also revealed that people seeking jobless benefits dropped by 5,000 last month to 947,200. This number undercuts last year's total by 50,000 – a pleasant surprise for government ministers, who had not been expecting such a bright start to the year. The current employment mark is now just 3.1 per cent – the second lowest figure since 1975.

Whilst the economy is going in the right direction, City analysts believe that recent upturns in retail spending and car production, taken in tandem with upbeat messages from the US Federal Reserve this week, all point to a possible interest rise sometime around June. The prospect of increased rates presents further problems to first-time buyers who will now have to commit themselves to higher mortgage payments for property outpriced after last year's key rates cuts.

(GMcG)

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