Factory orders rebounded after February’s eleven-month low, with a stable rate of growth upwards from 55 to 55.1 on the Markit/Cips Purchase Managers Index barometer, points above 50 show index growth.
Factory managers were reporting a rise in orders from both domestic and export markets.
Rob Dobson, IHS Markit director sounded a warning: “The key question is whether growth can now be sustained, albeit at a lower level, into the coming months.”
Though sterling is gradually increasing in value, it still remains five per cent below its currency value prior to the Brexit referendum, making exports more attractive to buyers.
Southampton docks at the end of the day.