LONDON (Reuters) - Britain's manufacturing sector unexpectedly returned to growth in January as orders rose for the first time in six months, indicating the UK could skirt recession if the sector continues to recover in coming months.
The Markit/CIPS Manufacturing Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) rose to 52.1 - the highest level since May - from an upwardly revised 49.7 in December, data compiler Markit said on Wednesday.
That was the first reading above the 50 mark that separates growth from contraction since September and beat analysts' forecasts that the sector would stagnate.

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