FX.co ★ UK Industrial Orders Decline Slows in March

The UK’s total order book balance edged up to -27 in March 2026 from -28 in February, beating market expectations of -29, according to the CBI. Although this marks the slowest decline in industrial orders since September, overall demand remains subdued. The output expectations sub-index for the next three months improved to -3 from -12, while anticipated price growth softened to +12 from +26. Cameron Martin, CBI senior economist, cautioned that the conflict in the Middle East is pushing up energy prices and risks further supply chain disruption, compounding existing cost pressures on manufacturers.