Business Confidence stories
AI and emerging tech are becoming a growth priority for UK lenders and insurers, with 91% expecting higher spending over the next year.
Cash-flow strain is deepening for UK SMEs, even as profits rose 7.4% and nearly half of invoices were still overdue, Sage said.
Delayed procurement is making revenue visibility harder for UK innovation firms, even as 56 per cent plan their next growth phase at home.
The shift comes as 42% of firms use tech spend to cope with growth and regulation, up from 35% in the previous survey.
The integration aims to help SMEs spot credit issues earlier, as approval rates fall and a GBP £22 billion funding gap persists.
EY-Parthenon says dealmaking is shifting towards AI and technology as 87% of UK chief executives expect their M&A appetite to rise.
Despite inflation and interest-rate pressure, most small firms are boosting marketing and AI use to win customers and protect revenue.
Smaller firms' shift towards higher-spec devices is widening Europe's pricing gap, with reseller average selling prices rising far faster than retail chains.
Australian finance teams face mounting losses as 62 per cent of respondents reported fraud-related damage in the past three years.
Concerns over infrastructure and costs have not deterred foreign investors, with two-thirds planning to expand in Ireland over the next year.
Weaker demand and rising wage costs are leaving most SMEs in a holding pattern, with few planning to add staff over the next year.
New data show Kiwi small firms generating less per hour than peers in Australia and the UK, as rising costs squeeze margins.
Summer foot traffic gives small firms a rare chance to win loyal buyers with banners, uniforms and merch, if they act quickly.
More firms are missing lender payments even as start-up activity slumps, underscoring pressure on Canadian small businesses and credit markets.
Rising costs and weaker spending left many small firms under pressure, even as national SME activity still managed quarterly growth of 0.6%.
Confidence among New Zealand firms is being driven more by productivity and investment than hopes of a return to pre-pandemic normality.
Most Australian workers using AI at work have had no formal training, leaving security, privacy and skills gaps as adoption races ahead.
Singapore boardrooms are shifting towards disciplined growth, as 71% of CEOs rank geopolitical uncertainty above all other business risks.
Overseas buyers now account for 44% of online sales for surveyed Irish SMEs, as social commerce and AI reshape growth plans.
Supplier-linked attacks and AI-related incidents are testing cyber defences in Hong Kong and Singapore, despite strong confidence in the technology.