16 Quotes by Ian McCafferty

There are glimmers of hope on the horizon for manufacturers who have endured a long-lasting downturn.

There are emerging signs that the hard-pressed manufacturing sector is improving.

Only two of the 10 industry groups surveyed this month - chemicals and metal products - expect prices to rise in their sector over the coming three months. Cost pressures from high oil and transportation prices will only serve to depress profits further,

We are disappointed that the Bank did not take the opportunity to provide some support for the fragile economy.

We think there's room for a small cut and look to the Bank to do so if there's no sign of a pick-up in momentum in the economy.

With energy costs up sharply in recent months and some disappointing developments in the global economy, there is no doubt UK manufacturers still face a challenging business environment. Nevertheless, this survey provides some encouraging news.

With retailing and manufacturing both very weak, the fact that services are slowing is particularly worrying.

The service sector in recent years has been an important driver of growth,

The slightly less negative recent news from the housing and retail sectors contrasts with increasing pressures on manufacturers from the high cost of fuel and materials.