SME confidence falls

 SME confidence falls

The FSB’s first-quarter survey showed the first decline in job creation by small firms nationwide since mid-2013. The Small Business Index, measuring business prospects over the coming three months, fell to 8.6 in the first quarter from 28.7 a year ago, its lowest since a -5.6 reading in the fourth quarter of 2012. Optimism has fallen in every part of the UK, with a slowing domestic economy, auto-enrolment, the national living wage, the threat of Brexit and quarterly reporting all contributing to the gloom.

Source:   The Independent (21/03/2016)