December manufacturing output up 3,2%

South Africa’s manufacturing output grew by 3,2% year-on-year in volume terms in December compared with a revised 4,6% contraction in November, Statistics South Africa said on Thursday.

Compared with November, factory production in volume terms rose by a seasonally-adjusted 3% in December. Output was up 3,3% in the three months to December compared with the previous three months, also on a seasonally-adjusted basis.

A Reuters poll last week predicted a year-on-year increase of 0,9% in December manufacturing.

Stats SA said the 3,2% increase in manufacturing production in December 2009 was mainly due to higher production in the motor vehicles, parts and accessories and other transport equipment division (34,6% and contributing 2,1 percentage points), the basic iron and steel, non-ferrous metal products, metal products and machinery division (9,9% and contributing 1,8 percentage points), the petroleum, chemical products, rubber and plastic products division (5,6% and contributing 1,4 percentage points) and the food and beverages division (4% and contributing 0,8 of a percentage point).