Growth could hit 1.2% in 2025 as trade agreements lower uncertainty

The UK could see higher than expected growth due to trade deals agreed with the US and the European Union, with KPMG predicting that growth could hit 1.2% in 2025 as trade agreements lower uncertainty. The UK economic outlook could brighten over the next two years as the economy stands to benefit from easing trade…

Read more

Reciprocal trade tariffs force UK small firms to quit US market

Small importers have warned that reciprocal tariffs on the US market would ‘wreck’ their business plans, research by the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) shows. The UK’s largest business group has today published data showing that one in three (33%) would scale back orders if the UK Government struck back and taxed goods headed from the US…

Read more

Late payments putting 10m European businesses at risk

A new report by European debt collection specialist Intrum has highlighted that without improved economic conditions, up to 10 million European businesses face potential closure within two years, threatening up to 40 million jobs. Late payments are a key driver of this risk, draining liquidity and limiting SMEs’ ability to invest and grow. In the…

Read more

Global business optimism continues to fall

Global business optimism continues to decline, revealing a 1.3% quarter-over-quarter decline in business optimism according to latest research by Dun & Bradstreet. The fall in confidence follows a sharp 12.9% drop seen in the prior quarter. Persistent global economic uncertainty and rising trade protectionism continue to dampen global business sentiment. While financial confidence dropped 8.6%…

Read more

Tariffs raise recession risk

The Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) has suggested the UK could be heading for a recession, warning that a trade deal may not be enough to prevent a slump in economic growth.  Paul Johnson, Director of the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS), said “The UK may be heading toward a recession, even if the Government…

Read more

Business leaders are adopting a ‘wait and see ‘approach to Trump’s tariffs

A snap poll of 562 Institute of Directors members following President Trump’s tariffs announcement has found that over a third (37%) of business leaders expect to be impacted by the tariffs and of those, over two-thirds (70%) expect their profits to decrease as a result. In response to the tariffs, 35% of members will be…

Read more

Global trade war set to accelerate business closures

4th April 2025 Business | #business closures

Latest data has shown that in Quarter 1, business closures in the UK surged to their highest level since 2021, this was before the impact of US trade tariffs and the latest date for the government’s increase in National Insurance contributions. According to insolvency notices in the Gazette, 2,718 companies shut down between January and…

Read more

Trump announces 10% baseline tariff

President Donald Trump has set out plans for new import taxes on all goods entering the US, with a baseline tariff on all imports of at least 10% and higher rates for countries that the White House described as the ‘worst offenders.’  While goods from the UK are set to face a new 10% tariff,…

Read more

Global business insolvencies forecasted to rise this year

19th March 2025 Business | #global insolvencies

Latest analysis by Allianz Trade has predicted that global business insolvencies will keep rising over the next two years. Insolvencies rose by 10% in 2024,  and are expected to grow by 6% in 2025 and 3% in 2026. This would result in five successive years of increasing insolvencies (2022 – 2026). The UK bucks both…

Read more

OECD increases 2025 growth forecast 

The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) expects the UK economy to grow at a slower pace this year than it had previously forecast. However, it has upgraded its growth forecast for next year. The think-tank expects 0.9% growth this year, down from 1.1%, while 2025 is forecast to see growth of 1.7%, up…

Read more

Global insolvencies predicted to rise by 11%

21st October 2024 Business | #global insolvencies

Allianz Trade has forecasted an 11% rise in 2024, followed by an additional 2% increase in 2025, according to its latest Global Insolvency Report. In its latest  report it reveals a more severe outlook for the global business landscape, with insolvencies projected to climb by 11% in 2024 – an even steeper rise than previously…

Read more

85% of UK businesses don’t believe in enhancing supply chain resilience

Research from Dun & Bradstreet has found that 85% of UK organisations don’t believe that enhancing supply chain resilience and diversification is crucial for future-proofing their businesses, yet 77% of business leaders are concerned about their level of resilience for future disruptions.  The findings reveal that over half of UK businesses (57%) admit that their…

Read more

Steady global growth expected in 2024 and 2025

The global economy is continuing growing at a modest pace, according to the OECD’s latest Economic Outlook. The Economic Outlook projects steady global GDP growth of 3.1% in 2024, the same as the 3.1% in 2023, followed by a slight pick-up to 3.2% in 2025. The impact of tight monetary conditions continues being felt, particularly in…

Read more

1 2 3 20