Rolling coverage of the latest economic and financial news, as UK factory growth slows and eurozone inflation dips below 2%Starmer urged to help households as energy bills rise by £149 a yearUK shop prices fall at fastest rate since 2021 despite rising fresh food inflationAbout 45,000 workers begin strike at US ports after breakdown in union talksFactory production across the eurozone has shrunk at the fastest pace so far this year, according to the latest poll of purchasing managers.Production, new orders, employment and procurement activity all fell at a faster rate last month, data firm S&P Global had reported.“It is a real shame that Spain is only the fourth-largest economy in the eurozone.While handling the global manufacturing downturn surprisingly well, Spain just does not have enough weight to lift the rest of the eurozone with it. The worsening industrial slump in Germany, for example, is too big for Spain’s momentum in September to make much of a difference. Continue reading...