UK factory order books strongest since 2015, but costs growing, says CBI

London

BRITISH manufacturers are enjoying their strongest orders in nearly two years but their costs are rising sharply following last year's "Brexit" vote which pushed down the value of sterling, a survey showed on Wednesday.

In the latest sign of how Britain's economy has so far withstood the shock of June's vote to leave the European Union, the Confederation of British Industry's (CBI) monthly industrial orders balance rose to +5 in January from zero in December.