The UK’s total order book balance improved slightly to -27 in March 2026, up from -28 in February and exceeding market expectations of -29, according to the CBI. While the decline in industrial orders is the slowest since September, levels remain weak. The output expectations sub-index for the next three months rose to -3 from -12, while expected price growth eased to +12 from +26. Cameron Martin, CBI senior economist, warned that the Middle East conflict is driving up energy costs and threatening further supply chain disruptions, adding to existing cost pressures on manufacturers.