Business Confidence Stories

UK Stories

Business Confidence stories

UK firms brace for May price rises amid freight pressure

Freight and energy costs are feeding May price rises, with over 40% of retailers and transport firms planning increases, ONS data show.

By Mark Tarre • 5 min read • Last week

Unified Communications

O2 Business rebrand targets UK firms' tech complexity

UK business leaders say tangled tech is raising costs and slowing growth, as O2 Business launches with a simpler offer for customers.

By Mark Tarre • 4 min read • Last week

Financial Systems

UK small business sales growth slows to two-year low

Customer-facing firms were hit hardest as weak demand and higher costs left UK small businesses with their slowest sales growth in two years.

By Karen Joy Bacudo • 4 min read • Last week

Data Analytics

Scotland tech optimism holds as AI adoption surges

Nearly all Scottish tech firms now use AI, with full adoption doubling to 18% as sales and cashflow improve despite softer confidence.

By Kaleah Salmon • 3 min read • Last month

Manufacturing

Transport firms warn of conflict-hit supply chains

Concern has surged among UK logistics firms as Middle East conflict raises the risk of supply chain delays and higher shipping costs.

By Sean Mitchell • 4 min read • Last month

Fintech

Intuit UK wins Fair Payment Code Gold for prompt pay

Intuit UK secures the government's Fair Payment Code Gold, highlighting rapid supplier payments as ministers crack down on late payers.

By Sofiah Nichole Salivio • 4 min read • Wed, 25th Mar 2026

Digital Transformation

Sage data shows UK SMEs grow profits but slash investment

UK SMEs lifted revenues and profits in 2025 but cut capital spending for a 17th straight quarter, Sage data shows, signalling wary growth.

By Karen Joy Bacudo • 4 min read • Thu, 19th Mar 2026

Global Stories

Business Confidence stories

Data Analytics

Supply chain confidence falls as geopolitical risk rises

Geopolitical shocks are exposing a growing confidence gap, with only one in five supply chain leaders able to respond within 24 hours.

By Mark Tarre • 4 min read • Last month

Stories from Other Regions

Business Confidence stories

Manufacturing

Australian SMEs await Budget on investment & hiring

Many small businesses may delay investment and hiring unless the Federal Budget delivers tax relief and help with rising costs.

By Karen Joy Bacudo • 4 min read • Last week

Partner Programmes

Australian small business sales rise 7.2% in Q1 2026

Momentum stayed firm for Australian small businesses in the March quarter, as sales, jobs and wages all rose despite higher fuel costs.

By Karen Joy Bacudo • 4 min read • Last week

Agricultural Technology

Xero sees fifth straight quarter of small business growth

Improving demand and higher interest-rate relief helped New Zealand small businesses post 3.9% sales growth in the March quarter.

By Karen Joy Bacudo • 3 min read • Last week

Partner Programmes

Canadian small business sales fall 4% in March quarter

Cash flow is tightening for Canadian small businesses as March sales improved only slightly, while payment times lengthened and late bills rose.

By Sofiah Nichole Salivio • 4 min read • Last month

Power / Energy

Australian inflation eases, but RBA tightening looms

Fuel costs have pushed headline prices higher again, leaving the Reserve Bank of Australia under pressure to raise interest rates despite softer underlying inflation.

By Karen Joy Bacudo • 4 min read • Last month

Data Analytics

AI adoption lifts NZ business revenue, study finds

AI users are already outperforming peers, with New Zealand SMEs earning about NZD $400,000 more and large firms NZD $59.1 million more in FY25.

By Joseph Gabriel Lagonsin • 4 min read • Last month

Firewalls

From scramble to certainty: rethinking tax time for Kiwi small businesses

Poor digital confidence is leaving 42% of Kiwi small businesses dreading tax time, as mixed systems and security gaps expose errors.

By Shannon Harris • 4 min read • Last month

Robotic Process Automation

New Zealand firms seek energy certainty to boost investment

Energy uncertainty is delaying spending, with 39 per cent of firms postponing expansion plans as costs and supply stay volatile.

By Mark Tarre • 4 min read • Last month

Partner Programmes

Australian confidence drops as fuel costs hit sentiment

Households and firms are facing renewed cost-of-living pressure, with petrol prices driving sentiment to levels last seen during the GFC and pandemic.

By Sean Mitchell • 5 min read • Last month