U.S., Oct. 25 -- The Confederation of British Industry's (CBI) monthly order book balance showed the difference between factories reporting a rise and a fall in orders as it became less negative in October at -34, in comparison with -48 in September.
While still historically low in comparison to other years, it was shown to be the most positive reading since March.
"Conditions remain tough in the manufacturing sector, with output and orders still down on the quarter, albeit to a lesser degree," commented Rain Newton-Smith, CBI chief economist. "The government must stay on the front foot when it comes to providing support for the sector and wider economy."
The news follows data from research firm IHS that showed industry performance incre...