In the statement made by the British Confederation of Industry (CBI) on Friday, February 19, it was reported that the order books of companies operating in the manufacturing sector have increased this month for the first time since the beginning of the virus epidemic, and their production amounts have started to enter a more stable course.
According to the monthly balance sheet of industrial orders announced by the CBI, the index, which was -38 in January, rose to -24 in February. It was pointed out that this value is the highest level recorded since February 2020, but still remains below the long-term average value of -14.
It was stated that the production activities in the factories were not yet fully organized, but the activities were less interrupted compared to previous closures.
The production expectations index of the companies in the sector for the next three months increased to -2 points. This figure was recorded as -24 last January.
Last January, the UK decided to close all public workplaces for the third time, and if working from home was impractical, employees were allowed to go to their offices in a limited way.
The report stated that most of the sub-sectors in the manufacturing industry saw order increases, but the overall index went down due to the reporting of sharp decreases, especially in the automotive, food and beverage sectors.
The CBI report also stated that the food and beverage sectors were among the most adversely affected by the new customs legislation that came into effect on January 1.
It was learned that the study prepared by CBI was conducted between 27 January and 12 February with the participation of 296 companies operating in the manufacturing sector.
Source: Reuters