Two in five SMEs have had to stop or pause an area of their business because of a lack of finance over the last couple of years. This is according to new research commissioned by Manx Financial Group, the financial services group. Manx Financial Group’s research showed that the most popular external finance options for […]
The number of small businesses in the UK is growing according to new research. This bucks a trend where the UK’s larger business population has plateaued in recent years. Specifically, the number of micro businesses with 0-9 employees in the UK has grown every year in the last decade. But small businesses need more support […]
It’s not an easy time to be a small business in search of financing. For LGBTQ owners, the struggle has been even harder. LGBTQ-owned businesses reported more rejections than non-LGBTQ businesses that applied for funding, according to a 2022 report from Movement Advancement Project, a nonprofit think tank that focuses on equality and opportunity, and […]
UK commercial vehicle (CV) manufacturing grew 36.9% in May as 10,813 new vans, buses, trucks, coaches and taxis left British factories, according to new figures published today by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT). The sector’s performance was the strongest in May since 2008, surpassing its 10-year high for the month last year, […]
The IoD Directors’ Economic Confidence Index, which measures business leader optimism in prospects for the UK economy, fell to -31 in June 2023, down from -6 in May, wiping out the improvements recorded since the beginning of the year. The reasons for the drop are greater concerns around inflation and, separately, falling customer demand in […]
Industry watchdog The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has written to banks that lend to UK companies to warn them about “greenwashing” and “conflicts of interest” in the sustainable loans market. The rising popularity of deals that link borrowing costs to sustainability targets has prompted fears that banks and high-emitting companies use these to enhance their […]
The US company behind ChatGPT has said its first international office will be based in London. OpenAI chief executive Sam Altman said the move was an “opportunity to attract world-class talent”. It comes after he criticised the EU’s proposed legislation regulating artificial intelligence (AI), which would require companies to reveal the content used to train […]
New research has revealed that two million UK small and medium-sized businesses have started on the road to making their business fit for net zero. Over a quarter of SMEs have ‘green intentions’ and are currently assessing their sustainability goals. Meanwhile, one in 10 SMEs could be described as ‘greening’, being further along in the […]
The Institute of Export & International Trade has launched a £5m Export Support Programme to help UK businesses accelerate their journey into international trade. The announcement also coincides with the United Nations’ World MSME (micro, small and medium sized enterprises) Day and aligns with the theme ‘building a stronger future together’. Marco Forgione, Director General […]
The Government has injected £80 million into UK Businesses to revolutionise their industry with cleaner energy sources – such as hydrogen and biomass. The funding is part of a £1 billion drive to support state-of-the-art clean climate technologies, and is available to a range of businesses, from cereal-making to whisky distillery. Breakfast giant, Kellogg’s, is […]