• Swindon & Wiltshire Economy
• Thursday April 30 2026

South West business confidence falls in April

Business confidence in the South West fell 24 points during April to 24 per cent, according to the latest Business Barometer from Lloyds.

Companies in the South West reported lower confidence in their own trading outlook month-on-month, down 21 points at 33 per cent.

When taken alongside their optimism in the economy, down 27 points to 16 per cent, this gives a headline confidence reading of 24 per cent against 48 per cent in March.

A net balance of 35 per cent of businesses in the region also expect to increase staff levels over the next year, up 14 points from last month.

Looking ahead to the next six months, South West businesses identified their top target areas for growth as investing in their team, for example through training (61 per cent), evolving their offering, for example by introducing new products or services (46 per cent), and introducing new technology, such as AI or automation (41 per cent).

The Business Barometer, which surveys 1,200 businesses monthly and which has been running since 2002, provides early signals about UK economic trends both regionally and nationwide.

Amanda Dorel, regional director for the South West at Lloyds, said: “The drop in business confidence in April reflects a national downwards trend. However firms in the region are still identifying strategic focuses on growth, with investment in training leading that charge.

“As South West businesses weather the turbulence and shore up against disruption, Lloyds will continue to offer the support they need to support their growth ambitions.”

Photo by Mikey Harris on Unsplash