Order books also continued to fill up. Total orders were, by a small margin, the strongest since August 1988, while export order books were the joint highest in more than 20 years. The improvement in total order books was particularly marked in food & drink and chemicals, while export order books strengthened notably in chemicals, electronics and transport goods. Output is expected to continue expanding in the three months to February, although at a more moderate pace. Stocks were broadly adequate in the quarter to November, though the level of stocks was below the long-run average. Expectations for price ... (full story)