UK business confidence falls to 19-month low in Mini Budget aftermath

According to the Lloyds Bank business barometer, overall confidence fell by one percentage point to 15%, hitting the lowest level since March 2021. Over a third (39%) of respondents to the survey expressed pessimism about the state of the economy, up from 36%. This is the sixth consecutive month that optimism has decreased. Although it remained above the lowest level of  minus 33% recorded in May 2020 during the first Covid-19 wave, business confidence was still below the long-term average of 28%. Meanwhile, 46% reported better trading prospects and 19% braced for a worse outlook f...