Industrial production in the UK rose 0.8% month-on-month in August 2026, accelerating from an upwardly revised 0.3% increase in the previous month and defying market expectations of a 0.1% decline. It marked the strongest monthly gain since November 2025, driven by faster manufacturing output (1.2% vs 1.0% in July), led by basic pharmaceutical manufacturing (5.1%), which accounted for over half of the overall monthly growth in the sub-sector. Output also rebounded in mining and quarrying (1.4% vs -4.1%) and electricity, gas, steam and air-conditioning supply (0.1% vs -1.8%). In contrast, output in water supply, sewerage and waste management fell 1.2%, reversing a 1.9% increase in July. On a yearly basis, industrial production growth climbed to 1.6% from a downwardly revised 0.8% in July, surpassing market expectations of 0.7%.