SKOPJE, Sept. 17 (Xinhua) -- The confidence indicator in Macedonia's manufacturing industry in August is 0.5 percentage points higher than the previous month, local media said on Saturday.

Confidence indicator increased by 5.5 percentage points compared to the same period last year, according to the national statistical office.

The current volume of production orders in August was also more satisfactory compared to the previous month, and is expected to continue to increase for the next three months.

Meanwhile, the average capacity utilization level of the business entities in August increased to 65.1 percent of normal utilization, said the statistics office.

Factors that had the biggest influence on limiting the production volume included insufficient foreign demand, insufficient domestic demand and shortage of skilled labor.