Investing.com - Manufacturing activity in the U.K. unexpectedly rose in June to its highest level since the beginning of the year, industry data showed on Friday.
In a report, market research group Markit said that its U.K. manufacturing PMI rose to a seasonally adjusted 52.1 last month from a reading of 50.1 in May.
That was its highest level since January 2016
Analysts had expected the index to drop back into contraction at 49.9 in May.
On the index, a reading above 50.0 indicates industry expansion, below indicates contraction.
The report showed that growth of output and new orders gathered pace.
Employment also fell for a sixth straight month.
Input costs and output prices both increased.
“The industry has built some momentum in recent months,” Dave Nobel, chief executive of the Chartered Institute of Procurement & Supply that participates in the elaboration of the survey.
“Whether this is sustainable in a post-Brexit world as the U.K. returns to a period of uncertainty, is anyone’s guess,” he added.
After the report, GBP/USD was trading at 1.3314 from around 1.3290 ahead of the release of the data.
Meanwhile, European stock markets were trading higher. London’s FTSE 100 rose 0.38%, the Euro Stoxx 50 gained 0.38%, France's CAC 40 advanced 0.40%, while Germany's DAX traded up 0.61%.