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Business Confidence Stories

UK Stories

Business Confidence stories

UK SMEs miss GBP £54 billion as finance confidence dips
Productivity

UK SMEs miss GBP £54 billion as finance confidence dips

Confusion and mistrust are leaving thousands of SMEs unable to fund expansion, with Portman estimating a GBP £54 billion hit to revenue.

By Karen Joy Bacudo • 4 min read • Last month
UK SMEs cut R&D after tax relief reforms, survey finds
Manufacturing

UK SMEs cut R&D after tax relief reforms, survey finds

Many firms have scaled back research, hiring and projects after HMRC tightened the UK's R&D tax relief rules, a survey finds.

By Karen Joy Bacudo • 4 min read • Last month
UK IT firms eye defence growth as confidence rises
Supply Chain

UK IT firms eye defence growth as confidence rises

A Barclays survey found 62 per cent of IT and telecoms firms expect more defence work, but skills and funding gaps still hinder growth.

By Karen Joy Bacudo • 4 min read • Last month
CIMA urges tax & skills reset to back business growth
Human Capital Management

CIMA urges tax & skills reset to back business growth

Businesses want clearer tax rules and broader training support as CIMA warns weak productivity could hold back UK growth.

By Karen Joy Bacudo • 4 min read • Last month

Global Stories

Business Confidence stories

Australia & New Zealand job ads rise after budget reset
Artificial Intelligence

Australia & New Zealand job ads rise after budget reset

Hiring demand across commercial teams strengthened as new financial-year budgets were released, lifting active go-to-market roles to 25,031 in July.

By Sean Mitchell • 4 min read • This month
AI skills appear in 17% of GTM job ads, index finds
Software-as-a-Service

AI skills appear in 17% of GTM job ads, index finds

AI hiring is spreading unevenly across revenue teams, with senior roles and Sydney adverts most likely to mention the skill.

By Mark Tarre • 4 min read • Last month

Stories from Other Regions

Business Confidence stories

New Zealand construction confidence slips but stays high
Supply Chain

New Zealand construction confidence slips but stays high

Rising costs, labour gaps and project delays are squeezing margins even as 84% of construction leaders still expect growth over five years.

By Sean Mitchell • 5 min read • Last week
RBA holds rates as softer inflation eases pressure
Digital Transformation

RBA holds rates as softer inflation eases pressure

Softer core inflation has given households and businesses a reprieve, but the RBA says housing and wage pressures still threaten progress.

By Mark Tarre • 4 min read • Last week
Canadian SMEs boost AI spend as productivity woes bite
Software-as-a-Service

Canadian SMEs boost AI spend as productivity woes bite

Productivity pressures are forcing Canadian SMEs to pair cautious hiring with heavier AI spending, even as optimism about growth stays firm.

By Mark Tarre • 3 min read • Last week
Australia construction leaders eye growth despite risks
Risk & Compliance

Australia construction leaders eye growth despite risks

Economic uncertainty and labour shortages are tempering optimism, even as 73% of construction leaders say Australia's sector has been stable over the past year.

By Sean Mitchell • 4 min read • Last week
CreditorWatch sees RBA raising rates again by November
Artificial Intelligence

CreditorWatch sees RBA raising rates again by November

Higher borrowing costs for households and businesses may be back by November as inflation risks remain tilted to the upside, CreditorWatch says.

By Mark Tarre • 4 min read • Last week
Canadian small business sales fall for third quarter
Data Analytics

Canadian small business sales fall for third quarter

Cash-flow pressures are mounting for Canadian small firms, with Xero data showing sales fell 0.6% year on year in the June quarter.

By Sofiah Nichole Salivio • 4 min read • Last month
Australian small business sales growth slows to 6.5%
Xero

Australian small business sales growth slows to 6.5%

Higher borrowing costs and fuel prices have cooled discretionary spending, leaving consumer-facing firms under pressure as sales growth slowed.

By Karen Joy Bacudo • 4 min read • Last month
Early mortgage hardship boosts repayment recovery: Experian
Data Analytics

Early mortgage hardship boosts repayment recovery: Experian

Borrowers who seek help before falling behind on mortgages are far more likely to recover, with 87% back on track within six months.

By Karen Joy Bacudo • 3 min read • Last month
NovaUCD, PTSB launch energy accelerator for startups
Power / Energy

NovaUCD, PTSB launch energy accelerator for startups

Early-stage Irish start-ups could get mentoring and finance as a new accelerator and a EUR 250 million lending fund target green growth.

By Karen Joy Bacudo • 4 min read • Last month
Younger workers drive wage growth in Australia's SMBs
Small Business

Younger workers drive wage growth in Australia's SMBs

Pay rises are easing across Australia's SMB sector, but 18- to 24-year-olds still posted the strongest annual wage gains in June.

By Mark Tarre • 4 min read • Last month
NZ workers slow to adopt AI, but many hide how much they use it - report
Digital Transformation

NZ workers slow to adopt AI, but many hide how much they use it - report

More than a third of New Zealand workers feel guilty about using AI, as businesses lag peers in adopting it, a report says.

By RNZ • 4 min read • Last month