Bosses of small companies are increasingly upbeat about their prospects, suggesting the outlook for the British economy may not be as bad as had been feared.
A poll of small and medium-sized firms commissioned by Barclays found that 41% were optimistic about their outlook, the highest level since the second quarter of last year.
Some 55% were expecting to increase revenue this quarter compared with a year earlier, while a third were planning to hire more staff in the next 12 months.
