Business confidence dips but the UK ‘has what it takes to deliver growth’ January 31, 2025 Overall business confidence slipped in January, although it was driven down by poorer sentiment about the wider economy rather than about individual businesses. Overall business confidence dipped two points to 37 per cent, with just over half of businesses positive about their own trading prospects and just under a quarter positive about the wider economy. [...]
If the Chancellor wants growth she must restore business confidence January 24, 2025 Confidence is fundamental to how businesses choose to invest and grow and at the moment it’s poor. If the Chancellor wants to turn this around she must listen to the City, says Sir Michael Snyder With the UK economy in the spotlight amid rising bond yields, high national debt, concerns over inflation and rising taxes, [...]
The government is on a charm offensive in Davos, but businesses are sceptical January 23, 2025 UK business confidence is set to decline compared to 2024, with more than half of all UK executives expecting business risks to increase in the year ahead, says Heather Blundell Chancellor Rachel Reeves has attended the World Economic Forum’s annual meeting in Davos this week with a clear mission – to convince global CEOs and [...]
It’s Blue Monday, so what does 2025 look like for insolvencies? January 20, 2025 Today is supposedly the most depressing of the year, and businesses appear to be lacking confidence too, says Sarah Rayment Today is Blue Monday, supposedly the most depressing day of the year, when the reality of gloomy weather, Christmas debt and post-holiday blues all kick-in. But it’s not just individuals feeling the effects, business confidence [...]
Business confidence plunges to lowest level since Liz Truss’s mini-budget January 15, 2025 Rachel Reeves’s tax hikes have pushed business confidence to its lowest level since the wake of Liz Truss’s calamitous mini-Budget, as firms fret over a surge in costs and slowdown in the domestic economy, a closely watched survey has suggested. Concerns over a looming tax bill and a slump in sales caused business confidence to [...]
UK consumer confidence may struggle to ‘ride out’ uncertainty January 13, 2025 Consumer confidence ended 2024 on a high, but analysts have warned that it might not be able to ride out a wave of economic uncertainty this year. Confidence was at its highest since April 2021 in December, according to Yougov’s and CBRE’s monthly consumer confidence survey. Business activity, optimism about the future, and perceptions of [...]
Business confidence slumps in ‘pressure cooker’ of higher taxes January 6, 2025 The British Chamber of Commerce's quarterly survey showed that 63 per cent of firms cited tax as a worry in the final quarter of last year, up from 48 per cent in the third quarter.
Businesses gloomy about state of economy before Budget tax rises January 3, 2025 Business leaders remain gloomy about the state of the economy entering the New Year, a new survey shows, as they anticipate the impact of the Budget’s tax increases. The Institute of Directors’ economic confidence index, which measures business sentiment about the economy, rose to -61 in December, up from -65 the month before but still [...]
Relief for Reeves as business outlook brightens for new year December 30, 2024 UK businesses have defied the negative sentiment which has defined the latter part of the year and predicted an upswing in 2025. More UK businesses are expecting a stronger start to 2025 than they did entering 2024, new research from Lloyds Business Barometer has found. Seven in ten UK businesses expect to see their turnover [...]
Business confidence ended 2024 at low point on jobs and prices fears December 23, 2024 Business confidence fell to its lowest level in 2024 during December, as fears around layoffs and price increases hurt opportunity for business growth. Business confidence ticked down by two points to 39 per cent this month, though remained above the long-term average of 29 per cent, according to the latest Lloyds Business Barometer. “While there [...]