UK Manufacturers Expect Output To Fall: CBI

(RTTNews) - The UK manufacturers expect output volumes to decline again in the three months to December, the latest Industrial Trends Survey from the Confederation of British Industry showed Tuesday.

A net balance of 13 percent said output volumes declined in the three months to September compared to -22 percent in the quarter to August.

A net 14 percent forecast output volumes to decline in the three months to December.

Order books continued to remain below "normal" in September. The corresponding balance came in at -27 percent compared to -33 percent in August.

Export order books were also below "normal". The balance rose slightly to -32 percent from -33 percent in the previous month.

Manufacturers' expectations for average selling price inflation weakened in September. The net balance posted +4 percent, down from +9 percent in August.

"In this environment, planning for growth is extremely challenging, and this is feeding through to weaker orders, output and investment," CBI Lead Economist Ben Jones said.

"While the pace of decline has eased, conditions look set to remain tough through to the end of the year," Jones added.