Credit, Collections & Insolvency News
Business confidence fell into negative territory for the first time in over two years in the first quarter of 2025, as worries over this month’s surge in business costs and US tariffs wreaked havoc, according to ICAEW research. The Business Confidence Monitor (BCM) for Q1 2025 put confidence at -3 on the index, the weakest…
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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%…
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New data from the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) reveals that small firms’ confidence levels are in a rut amid a rising tide of costs and taxes. FSB’s latest Small Business Index (SBI) for Q1 2025 shows a modest improvement in small business confidence, now at -40.7 points, compared to -64.5 in Q4 2024, though…
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The Institute of Directors’ (IoD) Economic Confidence Index, which measures business leader optimism in prospects for the UK economy, rose slightly to -58 in March 2025 from -64 in February. Business leader’ confidence in their own organisations also rose slightly to +5, from +2 in February. In terms of underlying indicators, cost expectations remained at…
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British business confidence remained stable at 49% in March, matching February’s six-month high, according to the Lloyds Bank Business Barometer. The data showed that retailers showed particularly strong confidence, aligning with recent data indicating a surprising rise in retail sales volumes in February. Retail confidence rose seven points to 58 per cent, a post-pandemic high,…
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Almost half of businesses (48%) are deferring capital expenditure until after the Spring Budget according to research by Bibby Financial Services (BFS). As the Spring Statement approaches, the UK’s small and medium sized businesses are eager for economic clarity before committing to major investment decisions. SMEs have strong ambitions for growth, with 87 percent planning…
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Small business confidence hit its lowest recorded point outside the Covid pandemic in the fourth quarter of last year, according to FSB’s Small Business Index (SBI). The headline confidence reading fell from -24.4 points in Q3 to -64.5 points in Q4.This is a fall of 40.1 points, and the lowest reading on this measure since…
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Business optimism in the UK reached a two-year low in January, according to analysis by BDO. The firm’s index measuring confidence across British manufacturing fell to 92.20 from 93.41 in December, marking the fourth consecutive month of decline and the lowest level since January 2023, a time marked by double-digit inflation and clear signs of…
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British businesses increased pessimism in January, marking five consecutive months of declining corporate confidence according to the Lloyds Bank Business Barometer.The Barometer fell by two points to 37%, its lowest level in a year, following a £25 billion tax increase announced in October. Despite the dip, confidence is still above the long-term average of 29%. In previous…
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Business confidence among finance chiefs has reached a two-year low with Chief Financial Officers (CFOs) expecting to make cost cutting measures in 2025 according to research by Deloitte. The data shows that business optimism fell to a two-year low in the fourth quarter with 26% of CFOs reporting that they feel more pessimistic about the…
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Business confidence in the UK has fell to its lowest level at the end of 2024, dropping two points to 39%, according to the latest Lloyds Business Barometer. Despite the fall, 55% of businesses expressed optimism about the broader economy, with nearly two-thirds anticipating stronger output. However, 19% of respondents plan to reduce their workforce,…
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New research from SME lender ThinCats shows significant confidence in growth but an even split for those believing the Government is creating the right environment. The research which was conducted after the Chancellor’s Budget among more than 2000 UK SMEs shows that 81% of businesses are confident that their business would grow next year. Confidence…
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UK business confidence has reached its lowest point in nearly two years, according to the latest Business Trends Report by BDO. The BDO optimism index fell by 5.81 points to 93.49 in November, marking the steepest month-on-month decline since 2021. Firms are grappling with rising costs, reduced customer confidence, and falling orders, leading to a…
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