Manufacturing (west):
Strong improvement

In spite of improvement in west German manufacturing, a satisfactory condition has not yet been reached, particularly in consumer non-durable goods. In contrast, with respect to future business developments optimistic voices prevailed. Also stronger confidence was expressed regarding export expectations. Although order reserves (2.7 production months) remained unchanged during the third quarter, the enterprises judged their order positions a little less negatively. With diminishing inventory pressure, production plans were slightly expansive, on average; however, manufacturers of investment goods and consumer non-durable goods still plan cuts in production.