Production slumped 0.9% after many manufacturers brought forward production to earlier in the year to beat Trump’s tariffs, with the only small uptick was 0.1% growth in the services sector.

Despite the onset of summer, retail sales were poor with a 2.7% decline in retail trade in a single month, and two bank holidays did not give any respite. Sports activities, amusement parks and recreation fell by 3.5%, and travel agency and tour operator and other reservation services fell by 4.2%. This all signalled declining consumer confidence.