Business Confidence stories
Businesses want clearer tax rules and broader training support as CIMA warns weak productivity could hold back UK growth.
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.
AI hiring is spreading unevenly across revenue teams, with senior roles and Sydney adverts most likely to mention the skill.
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.
Pay rises are easing across Australia's SMB sector, but 18- to 24-year-olds still posted the strongest annual wage gains in June.
More than a third of New Zealand workers feel guilty about using AI, as businesses lag peers in adopting it, a report says.
Geopolitical tensions are now the top worry for Irish bosses, even as 92% expect revenue growth and a stronger competitive position.
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%.
Higher borrowing and living costs have pushed household sentiment close to the survey's weakest level in 50 years.
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.