Manufacturing (west):
Expectations less clouded

The business situation of manufacturing in western Germany deteriorated for the third time in succession. The downward trend for intermediate products and consumer nondurables was not offset by the less negative assessments for investment goods and consumer durables. Although not as many enterprises designated their order backlogs as inadequate, inventory pressure increased somewhat. In the six-month expectations reduced scepticism was expressed, now with slightly increased confidence in export business, despite the stronger euro. Production plans, however, are increasingly more restrictive.