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Severe UK factory downturn eases marginally in January, CBI says

The Confederation of British Industry (CBI) reported a slight improvement in the severe downturn affecting UK factories in January, although the sector continues to face significant challenges. According to the CBI's latest Industrial Trends Survey, the balance of manufacturers reporting a decrease in output volumes was -16%, an improvement from -28% in the previous month. Despite this marginal recovery, the manufacturing sector remains under pressure with ongoing issues like weak demand, high energy costs, and supply chain disruptions. The survey also highlighted that total order books were considered "below normal" by a balance of -35%, and export order books were similarly weak at -29%. Looking forward, expectations for output over the next three months are slightly more optimistic, with a balance of -10% anticipating a decline, suggesting a cautious hope for stabilization in the sector.

Read the Full MSN Article at:
[ https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/economy/severe-uk-factory-downturn-eases-marginally-in-january-cbi-says/ar-AA1xIxmB ]