Business confidence among small and mid-cap companies is improving, but access to funding is deteriorating, according to the latest quarterly sentiment index from accountant BDO and the Quoted Companies Alliance.
The research also suggests a lack of knowledge about alternative funding sources such as corporate bonds could impede growth.
Companies' optimism about their own prospects however has increased substantially, rising to 64.0 from 60.6 last quarter. Confidence in the UK economy is at its highest level since the survey began 18 months ago, but at 47.8 is still just below the 50.0 level that would indicate optimism.
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