Sage Business Index Reveals Hopes Are At Highest Point For Three Years

A new poll of over 11,000 small and medium-sized enterprises across the world has revealed that confidence among such companies is now at a three-year high.

The latest Sage Business Index revealed that all of the scores recorded were at their highest level since the report was first produced in February 2011, a strong suggestion that business confidence is recovering following recent economic issues.

In the research, businesses revealed they were particularly confident about their own prospects, but significant increases were also seen in confidence related to their country’s economy and the overall global economy.

It also found that 47 per cent of business leaders would describe themselves as risk takers, with only 32 per cent stating they would say they are averse to such thinking.

Guy Berruyer, chief executive of Sage Group, said that confidence was clearly returning and it was vital that more should be done to “encourage investment in small businesses the world over”.

Expert Opinion

We’ve seen much research in recent months showing a growing level of positivity among SMEs in the UK, but this research has revealed that such sentiment is now being shared globally. <br/> <br/>"The fact that the results in this report mark a three-year high is notable, as it demonstrates that many smaller firms are responding to improvements in the economic climate and are now aware of the opportunities which are emerging for them. <br/> <br/>"The point on finance from Sage is a valid one however and SMEs will now be hoping that other organisations begin to share their confidence, particularly in terms of opening up more investment options. <br/> <br/>"We would also urge SMEs to ensure they get quality advice on all issues to ensure they are ready for growth and the challenges such growth brings." Fergal Dowling - Partner