Manufacturing hit by Eurozone financial crisis The UK's recovery hopes were dealt a blow today as problems in the crisis-hit eurozone - the UK's biggest trade partner - hit the manufacturing sector. The Markit/CIPS survey, where a reading above 50 represents growth, fell to 50.5 in April from 51.9 in the previous month and City expectations of 52. It was the weakest rate of growth so far this year. The slowdown was driven by the first decline in new orders for five months, reflecting a drop in new export business as demand weakened in the eurozone. Howard Archer, chief UK and European economist at IHS Global Insight, said the survey was "disappointing and an early blow" to hopes the economy will return to growth, after official figures last week showed the UK was in a technical recession.