Lloyds Bank Business Barometer for July, comes in at 30 (June was also 30)
- Companies at their least optimistic about the economy in six months
- But overall confidence levels remain just slightly below average
More from Lloyds Bank (via Reuters):
- Survey points to moderate growth
- "Confidence remains just below the long-term average and is consistent with a moderately positive pace of economic expansion"
- A small rise in overall business confidence
- A big drop in businesses' assessment of the health of the economy
Reuters also on a separately surevey from the Federation of Master Builders:
- Say the fall in the exchange rate causing higher material prices, thus squeezing margins for a third of small builders and forcing nearly a quarter to raise prices
