The UK’s total order book balance improved to -30 in January 2026, up from -32 in December and surpassing analysts’ forecasts of -33, according to the Confederation of British Industry (CBI). While the reading indicates that industrial orders are falling at their slowest pace since September, they remain well below the long-run average. Meanwhile, the gauge of expected prices surged to +29, the highest level since February 2023. Ben Jones, Senior Lead Economist at the CBI, commented: “Manufacturers are facing extremely tough conditions, with output and orders continuing to decline. Many firms report that customers are delaying decisions, ordering only essentials, or holding back altogether, leaving order books thin and confidence fragile. At the same time, rising costs—from wages, energy, and taxes—are squeezing margins and weighing on competitiveness, prompting firms to plan price increases even as demand remains subdued.”. source: Confederation of British Industry

Factory Orders in the United Kingdom decreased to 30 Net Balance in January of 2026 over the previous month. Factory Orders in the United Kingdom averaged -18.09 Net Balance from 1977 until 2026, reaching an all time high of 26.00 Net Balance in November of 2021 and a record low of -79.00 Net Balance in October of 1980. This page provides the latest reported value for - United Kingdom CBI Industrial Trends Orders - plus previous releases, historical high and low, short-term forecast and long-term prediction, economic calendar, survey consensus and news. United Kingdom CBI Industrial Trends Orders - data, historical chart, forecasts and calendar of releases - was last updated on February of 2026.

Factory Orders in the United Kingdom decreased to 30 Net Balance in January of 2026 over the previous month. Factory Orders in the United Kingdom is expected to be -22.00 Net Balance by the end of this quarter, according to Trading Economics global macro models and analysts expectations. In the long-term, the United Kingdom CBI Industrial Trends Orders is projected to trend around -5.00 Net Balance in 2027 and -2.00 Net Balance in 2028, according to our econometric models.



Calendar GMT Reference Actual Previous Consensus TEForecast
2025-12-17 11:00 AM
CBI Industrial Trends Orders
Dec -32 -37 -35 -34
2026-01-21 11:00 AM
CBI Industrial Trends Orders
Jan -30 -32 -33 -28
2026-02-19 11:00 AM
CBI Industrial Trends Orders
Feb -30 -28 -25


Related Last Previous Unit Reference
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CBI Business Optimism Index -19.00 -31.00 points Mar 2026
Car Production YoY 53003.00 65932.00 Units Dec 2025
Car Registrations 144127.00 146249.00 Units Jan 2026
Changes in Inventories -1660.00 1026.00 GBP Million Dec 2025
Composite Leading Indicator 101.07 101.04 points Jan 2026
Corporate Profits 160993.00 160867.00 GBP Million Sep 2025
Corruption Index 70.00 71.00 Points Dec 2025
Corruption Rank 20.00 20.00 Dec 2025
Crude Oil Rigs 3.00 3.00 Jan 2026
Electricity Price 69.89 71.04 GBP/MWh Feb 2026
Electricity Production 49970.00 49485.00 Gigawatt-hour Sep 2025
CBI Industrial Trends Orders -30.00 -32.00 Net Balance Jan 2026
Industrial Production YoY 0.50 2.30 percent Dec 2025
Industrial Production MoM -0.90 1.30 percent Dec 2025
GDP 3-Month Avg 0.10 -0.10 percent Dec 2025
Manufacturing Production YoY 0.50 1.30 percent Dec 2025
Manufacturing Production MoM -0.50 1.90 Percent Dec 2025
Mining Production -0.60 2.10 percent Dec 2025
New Orders 11935.00 12404.00 GBP Million Dec 2025
New Car Sales YoY 3.40 3.90 percent Jan 2026
Business Investment -2.70 1.60 percent Dec 2025


United Kingdom CBI Industrial Trends Orders
In the United Kingdom, the Confederation of British Industry‘s Industrial Trends Survey of total order book balance tracks changes in the level of factory orders from around 500 companies across 38 sectors of manufacturing industry. The survey covers domestic and export orders, stocks, price, investment intentions and output expectations. For each variable, manufacturers are asked if present situation is above normal, normal or below normal. The results are presented as a weighted percentage balance, that is, the difference between the percentage of respondents replying more or up to each question minus the percentage replying less or down.
Actual Previous Highest Lowest Dates Unit Frequency
-30.00 -32.00 26.00 -79.00 1977 - 2026 Net Balance Monthly
NSA

News Stream
UK Industrial Orders Fall at Slower Pace: CBI
The UK’s total order book balance improved to -30 in January 2026, up from -32 in December and surpassing analysts’ forecasts of -33, according to the Confederation of British Industry (CBI). While the reading indicates that industrial orders are falling at their slowest pace since September, they remain well below the long-run average. Meanwhile, the gauge of expected prices surged to +29, the highest level since February 2023. Ben Jones, Senior Lead Economist at the CBI, commented: “Manufacturers are facing extremely tough conditions, with output and orders continuing to decline. Many firms report that customers are delaying decisions, ordering only essentials, or holding back altogether, leaving order books thin and confidence fragile. At the same time, rising costs—from wages, energy, and taxes—are squeezing margins and weighing on competitiveness, prompting firms to plan price increases even as demand remains subdued.”
2026-01-21
UK Manufacturing Orders Fall at Slower Pace: CBI
The Confederation of British Industry (CBI) survey showed the UK’s total order book balance improved to a three-month high of -32 in December 2025 from -37 in November and better than analysts' estimates of -35. Still, the index remained well below the long-run average of -14. The survey revealed that export orders fell the least since July and output expectations for the next three months rose to their highest since September. "Activity was clearly held back by uncertainty ahead of the Budget, and with that now out of the way, firms can look to 2026 with a little more certainty," CBI economist Ben Jones said. "Significant headwinds remain nonetheless, with demand still soft, high energy, labour and regulatory costs squeezing margins, and uncertainty around key policies and global conditions continuing to weigh on confidence," he added.
2025-12-17
UK Order Books Remain Weak Ahead of Budget
The latest Confederation of British Industry (CBI) survey showed the UK’s total order book balance edged up slightly to -37 in November 2025 from -38 in October, but remained well below market expectations of -30 and the long-run average of -14. The reading indicated that total order books were largely stable at a historically weak level, as customers delayed purchases and investment ahead of the November 26 annual budget. Export order books also remained below “normal,” though less severely than in October. Meanwhile, output volumes fell at an accelerated pace in the three months to November, the sharpest decline since August 2020, and are expected to continue falling at a similar rate in the three months to February. Finally, expectations for average selling price inflation eased in November to stand in line with the long-run average.
2025-11-20