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Manufacturing demand slow but steady

DEMAND for UK-made goods in June failed to match the significant improvement to order books in May, new figures show.

However, total order book levels are still close to their long-term average, the CBI said yesterday.

Responding to the latest CBI monthly Industrial Trends Survey, 19% of manufacturers said that total orders were above normal, while 42% said they were below.

The resulting balance of -23% is down slightly on the figure in May (-18%), but does not reverse the improving trend of recent months, and the balance is still quite close to the long-term average (-18%).

Sarah Green, regional director, CBI North East, said: “Although demand for UK-made goods has weakened a little this month, the manufacturing sector remains on a path of recovery, with conditions much improved on just a few months ago.

“UK exports continue to be boosted by the weak pound and strengthening world trade, firms still expect a healthy rise in production in the coming months and inflationary pressures look to be easing a little.”

Export order books were also a little weaker compared with last month. Nevertheless, the balance of -2% shows that export orders are still considered to be broadly normal. This follows last month’s positive survey balance (+3%), the first since March 2008 (+3%), which was a considerable improvement on April this year (-16%).

Manufacturers still expect to raise output firmly during the next three months, with a net 15% expecting production to rise. This is broadly unchanged on May’s balance of +17%, and is well above the long-term average of +5%.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ruth Mitchell .