Denting hopes of a speedy economic recovery, British manufacturing output sank by 0.9% in January from December.
However, output in December on a 12-month basis rose by 0.2%, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said. That was the first increase since March 2008.
The ONS also revealed that a wider measure of industrial production, which includes mining, quarrying and energy, decreased by 0.4% in January from December.
"January's UK industrial production figures put a bit of a dent in hopes that the economic recovery might have picked up a bit more speed in the first quarter of the year," said Capital Economics analyst Jonathan Loynes.
Britain emerged from recession in the fourth quarter of 2009 with growth of 0.3% -- which ended a record recession that had lasted for six quarters.
Copyright Agence France-Presse, 2010
