UK factory orders

LONDON: British factory orders weakened slightly further in February after a sharper fall in January and manufacturers expect to cut their prices in the coming months, an industry survey showed on Monday. The Confederation of British Industry (CBI)’s order book balance for manufacturers fell to minus 17 this month, its lowest level since October, from minus 15 in January and a touch weaker than its average level since 1995. British manufacturing has lagged the recovery in much of the rest of the country’s economy since 2013 and a slowdown in emerging markets is expected to hold the sector back this year.