The UK’s manufacturing sector grew against last month but at a slower pace, according to new figures. The S&P Global UK manufacturing PMI survey, watched closely by economists, showed a reading of 51.9 in July. It nevertheless represented a slight slowdown from 52.5 in June and marked the lowest level for four months. Rob Dobson, director at S&P Global Market Intelligence said: “July brought further encouragement for the UK manufacturing sector, as rates of growth in output, new orders and new export business all accelerated. The overall slowdown in growth for the month was partly linked to a reduction in purchasing stock and slower jobs growth.