Credit, Collections & Insolvency News
Global insolvencies are set to surge by 21% in 2023 and 4% in 2024, while insolvencies in the UK are expected to increase by 16% and 9% in the same period as businesses are tested by weak demand, prolonged pressure on profitability, weaker cash buffers and tighter-for-longer financial conditions, according to latest analysis by Allianz Trade.…
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The British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) Quarterly Economic Survey (QES) for Q1 2023 shows that while business confidence has improved from a very weak base, most firms see no improvement to business conditions. The survey of over 5,200 firms – 92% of whom are SMEs – reveals a sectoral division in business performance, with hospitality…
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New data released by the Institute of Directors (IOD) suggests the UK economy grew strongly in March, confounding official forecasts from the Office of Budget Responsibility of a contraction in Quarter 1. Order books have strengthened considerably since the turn of the year, and expectations of future revenue, hiring and investment are also all pointing…
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British businesses are more confident than in any month since May last year, according to Lloyds Bank’s latest Business Barometer. The index rose by 11 points to 32% in March, with this driven by rising optimism about the outlook for the economy. While wage expectations increased slightly in March, Lloyds said it detected signals that they…
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Figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) show inflation rose more than expected last month to hit 10.4%, up from 10.1% in January. Economists had predicted a slight drop to 9.9%. The rise was driven by a continued rise in food costs, which increased by 18.2% in the year to February, the fastest rise…
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Figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) show inflation rose more than expected last month to hit 10.4%, up from 10.1% in January. Economists had predicted a slight drop to 9.9%. The rise was driven by a continued rise in food costs, which increased by 18.2% in the year to February, the fastest rise…
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New research by Dun & Bradstreet has found that almost half (43%) of global business leaders see energy price increases as their biggest challenge this year, despite Western countries’ best efforts to impose energy spend caps over the winter months and control inflation. Dun & Bradstreet which surveyed 3,396 business leaders across 18 countries revealed…
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Britain will avoid a recession this year, according to an Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) forecast. The report says GDP will fall by 0.2% this year, with this far lower that the 1.4% downturn it predicted in November. In the longer term, the report says the economy will grow by 1.8% in 2024, 2.5% in…
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Chancellor Jeremy Hunt has announced the budget for 2023. Responding to the Chancellor’s Spring Budget, Martin McTague, National Chair of the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) said “The Chancellor has set high expectations for supporting small firms during these challenging times, but today’s Budget will leave many feeling short-changed. The distinct lack of new support in…
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RSM UK’s latest MMBI (Middle Market Business Index) shows 39% of businesses feel the economy has improved over the last quarter with over half (54%) expect the economy to continue to improve over the next quarter, a significant jump from just 38% last quarter. Almost half of businesses (45%) say their net profits are up…
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Figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) show that the economy expanded by 0.3% in January, with the rebound following a 0.5% contraction in December. While the data shows month-on-month growth, the economy stagnated in the November to January period compared with the previous three months. The report also showdc that January saw a…
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The British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) has said the UK will avoid a recession this year, but will continue to show sluggish growth and the economy won’t recover to pre-pandemic levels until the final quarter of 2024. The BCC upgraded its outlook after better-than-expected consumer spending and business investment figures. The BCC forecasts the economy…
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Small business concerns over economic uncertainty have sky-rocketed over the last 12 months by almost 50%, according to new research from Novuna Business Finance. The latest tracking data from its Business Barometer study revealed the percentage of small business owners worried about market volatility has risen from 27% in Q1 2022 to 40% this quarter…
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