{
  "id": 84005,
  "title": "UK manufacturing growth picks up as Trump tariff chaos eases",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/03/uk-manufacturing-growth-picks-up-as-trump-tariff-chaos-eases",
  "topic": "business",
  "section": "Business",
  "published": "2026-08-03T10:29:26.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Guardian Business",
    "slug": "guardian-business",
    "url": "https://www.theguardian.com/business/2026/aug/03/uk-manufacturing-growth-donald-trump-tariff-us-iran"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "UK manufacturing output surged for the fourth month in a row in July, reaching a rate of growth not seen in nearly two years, according to a leading survey of the industry. Despite fears over the economic impact of the US war on Iran, manufacturers reported a rise in production and a more positive outlook. The S&P Global purchasing managers’ index (PMI) for July was 51.9, indicating expansion, though slightly lower than June's 52.5. This came after turbulent times for the sector following the election of Donald Trump and the imposition of his \"liberation day\" tariffs, and a cyber attack on Jaguar Land Rover that halted production. New orders increased for the eighth consecutive month, with clients from the US, Canada, the EU, China, India, and South Korea placing orders. However, employment growth has been modest due to ongoing uncertainty. While staffing levels rose, the pace of increase slowed, being the weakest in the current upturn. Rob Dobson of S&P Global Market Intelligence noted that July brought \"further encouragement\" for the UK manufacturing sector, with accelerating growth in output, new orders, and new export business. He expected hiring to pick up as companies tackle backlogs of work and as business optimism improves. Ginni Cooper, a manufacturing partner at MHA, highlighted the sector's resilience amid fluctuating commodity prices. However, Matt Swannell of the Item Club expressed caution, anticipating a difficult period for the sector in the latter half of the year due to conflicts and rising energy prices.",
  "summary": "Factories in upbeat mood despite fears over economic impact of US war on Iran, poll finds Business live – latest updates UK manufacturers ramped up production last month for the fourth consecutive month and at the fastest pace in almost two years, according to a leading survey of the industry. The S&P Global poll of manufacturers found them in upbeat mood in July, though anxious about the…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}