Manufacturers were offered a ray of hope yesterday after activity levels showed signs of a rally from the slump in March.
The Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply's barometer of conditions in the sector stood at 48.3 in April - compared with 46.3 a month earlier.
While the performance still shows contraction, the rise is the first by the index in six months after faltering conditions sent the figure for March to a 15-month low.
Friday May 2 2003
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