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24.04.2025

UK manufacturers’ order book balance unexpectedly improves in April, - CBI’s report shows

The survey by the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) revealed on Thursday that the UK manufacturers' order books improved slightly in April relative to March, but stood below “normal”. 

According to the report, the CBI's monthly factory order book balance increased to -26 this month from -29 in the previous month. The April figure was the highest since November 2024 (-19) but was reported as below “normal”. Economists had expected the reading to drop to -35.

The survey also showed that the manufacturing output volumes were broadly unchanged in the three months to April, after falling in the three months to March (-2, compared to -18% in the three months to March), but were expected to drop slightly in the three months to July (-5).

In other survey results, manufacturing headcount reduced in the quarter to April at the quickest pace since October 2020 (-16, compared to -8 in January), and manufacturers expect numbers employed to decline again in the quarter to July (-11). Manufacturers’ average costs increased in the quarter to April at an accelerated pace (+48, compared to +43 in January), and are anticipated to hasten in the quarter to July (+57). Business sentiment across the manufacturing sector continued to worsen in April (-33, compared to -47 in January), while manufacturers’ investment intentions for the year ahead remained subdued across all categories – buildings (-38, compared to -42 in January), in plant & machinery (-33, compared to -41), in product and process innovation (-22, compared to -26), and in training and retraining (-20, the weakest since April 2020, compared to-14). 

Commenting on the results of the latest monthly CBI Industrial Trends, Ben Jones, CBI lead economist, said the recent downturn in manufacturing output appears to have eased, but manufacturers still seem gloomy about their prospects amid rising costs, an expected decline in new orders and heightened uncertainty around global economic conditions. “The combination of financial pressures, market instability and falling confidence is leading manufacturers to cut back employment and investment, with plans for spending on buildings, equipment, innovation and training all taking a hit,” he added. “The wider geopolitical environment is becoming increasingly challenging for exporters, with export optimism falling sharply for a second successive quarter and export order volumes now hovering around post-pandemic lows."

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