Interest rates and monetary policy: Economic indicators
Monetary policy affects the amount of money in the economy and the costs of borrowing. Find the latest data on interest rates in the UK, US and Eurozone.

Data on the manufacturing sector, analysis of recent trends and pressures facing the sector, a summary of government policy and a discussion of the potential impact of the UK’s decision to leave the European Union.
Manufacturing: statistics and policy (577 KB , PDF)
Like all industries in the UK, the manufacturing sector is being affected by the coronavirus pandemic. The Library has published information about the support available to businesses which have been affected by the virus. The Library also has a list of publications and resources about coronavirus in general.
In 2018 manufacturing in the UK accounted for:
Over the past 30 years, the value of manufacturing output has remained largely the same, but the number of people employed in the industry has fallen significantly.
These trends partly explain why productivity in manufacturing has (until recently) grown more quickly than productivity in the whole economy.
Since the late-1990s, imports of manufactured goods have grown more quickly than exports. This means that the manufacturing trade deficit has widened over this period.
The UK’s decision to leave the EU has already had an impact on the manufacturing industry, and the nature of the new trade deal between the UK and the EU will also impact manufacturing firms. Manufacturing trade associations have welcomed the Withdrawal Agreement that was agreed in October 2019, with some notes of caution.
Some manufacturers are concerned about issues such as future investment, the operation of cross border supply chains and access to skilled labour after Brexit.
The government’s industrial strategy was published in November 2017 and includes a number of policies designed to help manufacturing, including a number of sector deals and Grand Challenges for industry.
Manufacturing: statistics and policy (577 KB , PDF)
Monetary policy affects the amount of money in the economy and the costs of borrowing. Find the latest data on interest rates in the UK, US and Eurozone.
Inflation measures the change in prices over time. Find the latest data on inflation in the UK, the Eurozone, and selected EU countries.
The Water Bill was introduced in the House of Commons on 16 October 2024, and its second reading took place on 28 March 2025. The Library briefing provides an overview of the bill and background information.