The latest survey by the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) revealed on Thursday the UK manufacturers' order books dropped in March.

According to the report, the CBI's monthly factory order book balance fell to -29 in March from -18 in the previous month. Economists had forecast the reading to come in at -35. That was the lowest reading since October 2019 and below the survey's long-run average of -13.

The CBI also reported that output expectations for the next three months tumbled from +8 in February to -20 in March, marking the weakest expectations since the financial crisis, as the COVID-19 outbreak gained pace in the UK and Europe. However, output prices are expected to increase somewhat in the next three months.

Anna Leach, CBI Deputy Chief Economist, noted: "The manufacturing sector is facing unprecedented challenges due to COVID-19, such as widespread disruption to supply chains and weakening demand due to domestic containment measures. With expectations for output set to fall in the coming months, it's now more important than ever manufacturers get the support they need."