Credit, Collections & Insolvency News
New data from the Institute of Directors (IoD) shows the drop in business confidence that was picked up in June has been sustained into July. The monthly IoD Directors’ Economic Confidence Index, which is the most-timely indicator of UK business sentiment, fell from -6 in May to -31 in June, suggesting a significant deterioration in…
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Business confidence is at lower than the pre-pandemic average as concerns about high inflation, record wage pressures and rising interest rates bite according to reaearch by ICAEW. Sentiment tracked by ICAEW’s Business Confidence Monitor (BCM) – one of the largest and most comprehensive quarterly surveys of UK business activity – put confidence at 6.1 on…
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The UK Small Business Index (SBI) from the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) has shown that business confidence has fallen by 14.2 points in Q1 2023, down 11.4 points from Q1 2023. The decline reflects the downbeat economic conditions small businesses had to navigate over the quarter, with stickier-than-expected inflation, while two base rate hikes…
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The Institute of Directors (IoD) Economic Confidence Index, which measures business leader optimism in prospects for the UK economy, fell to -31 in June 2023, down from -6 in May, wiping out the improvements recorded since the beginning of the year. The reasons for the drop are greater concerns around inflation and, separately, falling customer…
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Business confidence bounced back in the first half of June, increasing by nine points to 37%, the biggest monthly rise since March 2023 according to Lloyds Bank. The increase was driven largely by rises in firms view of their trading prospects and optimism in the wider economy, despite last month’s interest rate rise. Business confidence…
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Sentiment among British businesses declined in May, with firms concerned over the economy and their trading prospects. Lloyds Bank’s Business Barometer fell to 28% in May from 33% in April, marking the first decline in three months, while optimism over the economy fell by six points to 22%. Confidence levels remain in line with the…
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Research by iwoca has found that recession fears are receding with small business loan application figures rising. The company says there are signs of confidence returning to the UK’s 5.5m small and medium-sized businesses and the lending market they rely on. The new research, carried out with over one hundred SME finance brokers who collectively…
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A survey by the Institute of Directors (IoD) has revealed an increase in business confidence in April, rising from -13 in March and a low of -64 in November to -5 last month. This is the fifth consecutive month in which the index value has improved, following a low of -64 in November 2022. The value…
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Latest data from the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) has found that business confidence has recovered strongly in the first quarter of 2023, with FSB’s Small Business Index (SBI) headline confidence measure bouncing back significantly from the depths of lockdown-equivalent levels back up to lightly negative territory at -2.8 points. This is a significant upturn…
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Business confidence has reached the highest level since May 2022, according to the latest monthly sentiment index by Lloyds Bank. Confidence reached 33% in April, marking a slight increase from 32% recorded in March. The survey of 1,200 businesses found that overall economic optimism rose by five points to 28%, which is also close to…
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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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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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Research by Cornwall Insights has predicted that energy bills will rise by an estimated £500 a year despite an expected reduction in Ofgem’s household energy cap. Cornwall Insight predicts the cap for a typical household will be £3,294 equivalent per year meaning that customers will pay about 20% more on their bills, approximately £500, as…
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