UK CBI July Total Orders Down 30, Retail Sales Drop 34, Business Optimism -27, Consumer Confidence -19

The UK Confederation of British Industry (CBI) reported a decline in total orders for July, with the index falling by 30 points, slightly better than the estimated 28 but down from 33 in June. Business optimism also remained negative at -27, though it improved from the previous -33. Additionally, selling prices rose modestly to 21, up from 19. Consumer confidence, as measured by GfK, registered at -19 in July, slightly better than the forecast of -20 but lower than June's -18. The CBI's distributive trades report indicated retail sales dropped by 34 points in July, an improvement from a 46-point decline in the prior month. Total distributive reported sales remained unchanged at -39. These figures reflect ongoing challenges in the UK business environment amid subdued demand and cautious consumer sentiment.