• Swindon & Wiltshire Economy
• Thursday July 31 2025

South West’s business confidence rollercoaster dips again

Business confidence in the South West fell eight points during July to 44 per cent, according to the latest Business Barometer from Lloyds.

Companies in the South West reported lower confidence in their own business prospects month-on-month, down 16 points at 47 per cent.

When taken alongside their optimism in the economy, up two points to 42 per cent, this gives a headline confidence reading of 44 per cent (vs. 52 per cent in June).

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 (44 per cent), evolving their offering, for instance by introducing new products or services (35 per cent) and entering new markets (34 per cent).

Amanda Dorel, regional director for the South West at Lloyds, said: “Despite a dip in confidence this month, it’s encouraging to see that regional businesses remain focused on growth, investing in measures that will help both build resilience and unlock new opportunities.

“We’ll continue to be ready to support their plans with our on-the-ground, tailored support.”

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.

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