LONDON (Reuters – British manufacturing grew at the slowest pace for 13 months, while price pressures, previously showing some signs, worsened. A survey was released on Friday.

The S&P Global/CIPS UK Manufacturing Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) fell to 55.2 – revised down from a preliminary “flash” reading of 55.5 – from 58.0 in February.

This was due to slowing domestic demand, and the sixth consecutive drop in export orders over seven months.

Survey compiler S&P Global (NYSE:) linked the weakness in export orders to geopolitical tensions, Brexit and ongoing difficulty with supply chains, though delays were their shortest since October 2020.

The survey indicated that Britain faces tougher economic times in the future. Growth will slow due to an increase in inflation pressure caused by volatility in commodities markets after Russia invaded Ukraine.

“The end of the opening quarter saw a marked growth slowdown in the UK manufacturing sector,” S&P Global said.

After declining in the previous months to record low levels, indicators of input cost and output price rose in March according to the survey. It indicates that there is persistent inflation pressure.

Inflation in consumer prices reached 6.2% for the first time in 30 years in February. The government’s budget watchdog predicted last week that it would reach close to 9% by 2022. It will cause the greatest drop in living standard since the 1950s.