MANUFACTURERS’ order books have strengthened due to a rise in exports, a report has claimed.

The CBI Monthly Industrial Trends Survey says output grew steadily in the three months to August, which it expects to continue over the next quarter.

It said total orders recovered to stand well above average, with export orders improving in more than half the sectors.

However, exports remain below average in a number of sub-sectors, such as mechanical engineering and metal making.

Rain Newton-Smith, CBI director of economics, said: “While the rebound in manufacturers’ total order books is encouraging, many firms are still struggling in overseas markets.

“On the one hand, the strength of sterling and cheaper energy are reducing factory input costs, but the strong pound is also hitting export prices and margins hard.

“With only four per cent of the UK’s exports going to China, the country’s slowdown is not a direct cause of concern for our manufacturers, but it will make life harder for our firms in exposed sectors like metals and commodities.”