Retail sales volumes dropped at a rapid pace in the year to March, marking the quickest decline since April 2020 – according to the latest CBI Distributive Trades Survey.

UK entrepreneurs are confident about their own business prospects in the upcoming tax year, despite pessimism over the wider UK economy, according to new findings from Rathbones.

The UK economy unexpectedly failed to grow in January, ahead of the outbreak of the Iran war. Official figures revealed zero growth for the month – a much weaker figure than had been predicted and followed sluggish growth of 0.1% in December.

Manufacturing output volumes fell in the three months to February, though at a slower pace than in January – according to the CBI’s latest Industrial Trends Survey (ITS). Manufacturers expect volumes to decline at a similar pace in the three months to May.

Firms across the private sector expect activity to fall in the next three months (weighted balance of -13%), according to the CBI’s latest Growth Indicator. Nonetheless the pessimism has eased noticeably, with expectations at their least negative since November 2024.

“The Spring Statement offered little immediate relief for business owners already grappling with a heavy tax burden and persistently rising costs."

Rathbones, one of the UK’s leading wealth and asset management groups, previews the Spring Statement (on 3 March 2026), setting out what it could mean for the UK economy and personal finances.

Wales’s next government must put the country’s 200,000 small businesses at the heart of its strategy in order to protect jobs, communities and the Welsh economy, the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) has warned.

Nearly 6,000 high-growth business owners left the UK in just two years between 2024 and 2026, with the greatest proportion working in tech sectors, according to new analysis commissioned by Rathbones.

North West accountancy firm Lamont Pridmore has raised concerns about how prepared family businesses are for succession, retirement and planning future tax liabilities, with many lacking a clear understanding of what their company is worth.

The businesses shutting down or leaving the UK are bigger, employ more people and generate more turnover than ever before

Manufacturing output volumes fell in the three months to February, though at a slower pace than in January – according to the CBI’s latest Industrial Trends Survey (ITS).

The Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) is sounding a warning shot ahead of a looming cost crunch in April that could push many small firms to breaking point.

Rising tax and cost pressures forced more than one in five (21%) SME bosses to lay off staff last year, according to a survey commissioned by Rathbones, one of the UK’s largest wealth and asset management groups.

A Treasury U-turn will bring temporary relief to pubs and live music venues across England and Wales, easing the impact of steeply rising business rates that had threatened large swathes of the sector. 

New research reveals that the UK development industry is entering 2026 with cautious optimism but is still held back by deep-rooted staffing challenges that are slowing delivery and squeezing project viability.

The UK private sector was buoyed by a sharp expansion in output among mid-market businesses at the end of 2025, which has helped to fuel optimism for 2026.

Consumer card spending declined -0.2 per cent year-on-year in 2025, after growing 1.6 per cent in 2024 and 4.1 per cent in 2023.

Latest CEO Confidence survey, revealing a sharp contrast between how leaders see the wider economy and how they feel about their own businesses.

The latest CBI Economic Forecast finds businesses swimming against the powerful tides of weak demand, elevated labour and energy costs, and ongoing domestic and global uncertainty.