Future Retirement Success
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Investing
  • Stocks
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Investing
  • Stocks

Future Retirement Success

Business

UK business confidence jumps to nine-month high as trade tensions ease

by May 30, 2025
May 30, 2025
UK business confidence jumps to nine-month high as trade tensions ease

UK business confidence surged in May to its highest level since last August, according to new data from Lloyds Bank, driven by a sharp rebound in global financial markets and a softening in trade tensions between the US and its partners.

The Lloyds Bank business barometer rose by 11 points to 50 per cent, up from 39 per cent in April, more than reversing the dip seen last month. The reading is now at its strongest since the summer of 2024.

The lender said the sharp increase in confidence reflects improving sentiment in global markets after US President Donald Trump paused his threatened “reciprocal tariffs” until July. That decision – followed by a US court ruling this week declaring the tariffs illegal – fuelled optimism across Asian, European and American stock exchanges, as investors reassessed the outlook for global growth.

“The rebound in business confidence suggests that firms might be in a stronger position for the next quarter,” said Hann-Ju Ho, senior economist at Lloyds Commercial Banking. “The rise in confidence is driven by a sharp increase in economic optimism, reflecting the recovery in financial markets amid the easing of global trade tensions.”

The survey, based on responses from 1,200 firms, also found improvements in trading prospects and hiring intentions. A third of businesses said they plan to award pay rises of 3 per cent or more, while 65 per cent reported intentions to increase prices in the year ahead – down five points from April. Only 2 per cent said they would cut prices.

The data comes amid a mixed inflation picture. UK inflation rose to 3.5 per cent in April, the highest since January 2024, up from 2.6 per cent the month before. However, stronger-than-expected economic growth is helping to support business sentiment. GDP expanded by 0.7 per cent in the first quarter of 2025, and this week the International Monetary Fund marginally upgraded its full-year UK growth forecast to 1.2 per cent.

The Lloyds report adds to signs that the UK economy is showing resilience, even as concerns linger over inflation, rising wage demands and the future of global trade policy.

Despite uncertainties ahead, the strong rebound in confidence points to a more optimistic outlook among British firms heading into the second half of the year.

Read more:
UK business confidence jumps to nine-month high as trade tensions ease

0
FacebookTwitterGoogle +Pinterest
previous post
Bailey urges Starmer to deepen EU ties to soften Brexit blow and counter Trump tariffs
next post
Reform UK becomes first British political party to accept Bitcoin donations, says Farage

You may also like

BT to cut up to 55,000 jobs by...

May 18, 2023

Social housing reform sees MMC industry respond with...

May 9, 2023

David Beckham Sells Stake in Troubled CBD Venture

February 19, 2024

Give yourself a break: You deserve it

December 17, 2024

London has most pub closures in first six...

October 9, 2023

Co-op to give all staff paid leave for...

October 31, 2022

McDonald’s Ends AI Drive-Thru Trial Amid Fast-Food Industry’s...

June 18, 2024

Rainfall washes out retail sales in March

April 21, 2023

How to Buy Real Instagram Followers With Gradual...

May 13, 2024

The Best PDF Text Editor for Windows and...

September 23, 2022

    Get free access to all of the retirement secrets and income strategies from our experts! or Join The Exclusive Subscription Today And Get the Premium Articles Acess for Free

    By opting in you agree to receive emails from us and our affiliates. Your information is secure and your privacy is protected.

    Recent Posts

    • Rand Paul says he would support ‘big, beautiful bill’ if debt ceiling hike removed

      June 1, 2025
    • Kevin Hassett ‘very, very confident’ courts will back Trump’s tariffs amid legal setback

      June 1, 2025
    • Senate Republicans eye changes to Trump’s megabill after House win

      June 1, 2025
    • Trump shares post saying Biden was executed, replaced with clones

      June 1, 2025
    • House Dems’ campaign chair says her party’s ‘on offense’ in 2026 battle to win back majority from GOP

      June 1, 2025
    • Trump warns Rand Paul he’s playing into ‘hands of the Democrats’ with ‘Big, Beautiful Bill’ opposition

      June 1, 2025

    Categories

    • Business (8,105)
    • Investing (2,000)
    • Politics (15,458)
    • Stocks (3,119)
    • About us
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms & Conditions

    Disclaimer: futureretirementsuccess.com, its managers, its employees, and assigns (collectively “The Company”) do not make any guarantee or warranty about what is advertised above. Information provided by this website is for research purposes only and should not be considered as personalized financial advice. The Company is not affiliated with, nor does it receive compensation from, any specific security. The Company is not registered or licensed by any governing body in any jurisdiction to give investing advice or provide investment recommendation. Any investments recommended here should be taken into consideration only after consulting with your investment advisor and after reviewing the prospectus or financial statements of the company.

    Copyright © 2025 futureretirementsuccess.com | All Rights Reserved