UK Factory Activity Still Growing, But Early Estimates Were Too Rosy Again

A gauge of UK factory activity dipped to 51.9 in July 2026 — below 50 means shrinking, above 50 means growing. So factories are still expanding for a fifth straight month. But the early estimate was cut by 0.9 points, and June saw a similar trim. Two misses in a row raise questions about whether those first reads are dependable.