International Business

British Manufacturing Declines: Output tumbled by a surprising 0.6% in January, reflecting lower production levels in most sectors and providing further evidence that the economy is slowing, the British government reported. Official figures show that overall industrial output dropped by 0.5%, hit by both the decline in manufacturing and a slowdown in oil and gas extraction due to bad weather in the first half of January. “The pace of expansion has clearly slowed in recent months, but business surveys point to a healthy manufacturing sector based on export success,” a treasury spokesman said.