By BridgeNews
The Confederation of British Industry released details of its May Monthly Trends Enquiry as follows, in percentage terms excluding seasonal changes.
(The "positive balance" is derived by subtracting the percentage of firms responding negatively to each question from those responding positively. This net figure is then used as an indicator of changes in economic conditions between monthly reports.)
The latest figure is presented in the extreme left-hand column and is followed by a brief summary of previous data.

1. Positive balance indicating their present total order book is above normal:
--------2001------------------------------------2000------------------
May Apr Mar Feb Jan Dec Nov Oct Sep Aug Jul Jun May Apr
-24 -26 -23 -16 -10 -2 -17 -18 -15 -17 -20 -18 -10 -19

2. Positive balance indicating their present export order book is above normal:
--------2001-----------------------------------2000-------------------
May Apr Mar Feb Jan Dec Nov Oct Sep Aug Jul Jun May Apr
-32 -28 -24 -24 -14 -21 -31 -28 -31 -35 -41 -39 -35 -29

3. Positive balance indicating their present stocks of finished goods are more than adequate:
--------2001------------- ---------------------2000-------------------
May Apr Mar Feb Jan Dec Nov Oct Sep Aug Jul Jun May Apr
16 12 20 19 9 11 11 10 12 16 12 10 8 14

4. Positive balance indicating a rise in the volume of output over the next 4 months:
--------2001---------------------------------2000-------------------
May Apr Mar Feb Jan Dec Nov Oct Sep Aug Jul Jun May Apr
-2 -2 3 9 14 12 1 3 5 2 3 -7 -6 1

5. Positive balance indicating a rise in average prices at which domestic orders are booked over the next 4 months.
--------2001------------ ------------------2000-------------------
May Apr Mar Feb Jan Dec Nov Oct Sep Aug Jul Jun May Apr
-12 -13 -14 -14 4 -4 -13 -12 -20 -15 -15 -18 -21 -13