MORE than three quarters of firms in the region expect sales to increase over the next three months.

The latest Dun & Bradstreet survey found confidence in the North West high for the coming quarter.

It found 77 per cent of firms expected an increase in turnover and 68 per cent anticipating a rise in sales. But there was a small drop of six per cent to 65 per cent registered in the number of firms expecting order books to increase.

The survey also found that an increasing number of companies expected to raise prices during the first quarter of the year.

"The price rises could be temporary and just seasonal," said Philip Mellor of D&B.

"However it is likely that prices will continue to accelerate modestly throughout 1998."

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