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Economy and business environment articles

Read our latest features and articles on the economy and business environment.
Displaying 1-30 of 745 results
Group of people around a table having a meeting
Iran war knocks confidence back into negative territory
  • Article
  • 02 Apr 2026
  • ICAEW Insights
Business confidence was recovering until the outbreak of the war in Iran; concerns about its wider economic impacts are keeping sentiment negative, according to the latest ICAEW Business Confidence Monitor.
Bute park Cardiff
Welsh Manifesto: three measures to unlock growth
  • Article
  • 02 Apr 2026
  • ICAEW Insights
ICAEW has published a manifesto for the Welsh Senedd elections, highlighting the biggest issues facing Welsh businesses, and the solutions that the Welsh government should focus on.
Philippa Lamb and Tess Buckley
What does the Iran conflict really mean for British business?
  • Podcast
  • 31 Mar 2026
  • ICAEW Insights
We’ve already seen immediate spikes and fluctuations in the oil price and the wider financial and commodity markets. But how will the UK economy be affected in the months to come and how heavy a price will British business pay? RSM Chief Economist Tom Pugh shares his thoughts.
Group of people around a table having a meeting
Iran conflict sends economic shockwave through the Gulf
  • Article
  • 31 Mar 2026
  • ICAEW Insights
Energy markets are set to suffer the biggest immediate impact from the Iran conflict, but effects on travel and tourism sectors will be longer lasting, according to an ICAEW economic update.
Ben Nevis
Scottish Manifesto: key actions for growth
  • Article
  • 30 Mar 2026
  • ICAEW Insights
ICAEW Scotland has sent a list of recommendations to Scotland’s parliament in its Scottish Manifesto, outlining the major steps needed to improve conditions for businesses. Its suggestions have relevancy beyond the region.
A group of people sat down round a table having a meeting
ICAEW member insights: cash preservation is king
  • Article
  • 26 Mar 2026
  • ICAEW Insights
Geopolitical tensions and domestic cost pressures are weighing on business confidence. While some sectors report pockets of resilience, the overall picture is one of caution.
Palace of Westminster, London
Influencing policy to support you: March 2026
  • Article
  • 26 Mar 2026
  • ICAEW Insights
Alongside reaching out to the Chancellor ahead of the Spring Forecast, ICAEW engaged with policymakers on the impact of the Middle East conflict and the practical ways in which the government could support business-led growth.
Group of people around a table having a meeting
Economic update: impact of Middle East conflict
  • Article
  • 26 Mar 2026
  • Suren Thiru, Economies Director at ICAEW
Suren Thiru, ICAEW Chief Economist, reflects on economic data published in March and the impact of the Middle East conflict. With energy prices soaring the Bank of England did not cut interest rates, but the possibility of rate rises are overstated.
Two people looking at the laptop having a conversation
Fines for persistent late payers under new rules
  • Article
  • 25 Mar 2026
  • ICAEW Insights
Following years of campaigning from ICAEW, the UK government has announced new powers for the Small Business Commissioner to investigate, adjudicate on and issue fines for cases of late payments.
Chart of the week: public investment
  • Article
  • 20 Mar 2026
  • ICAEW Insights
Our chart this week looks at how public investment in assets is expected to increase over the next couple of years as the government seeks to stimulate the economy and “build build build”.
Middle East conflict causing unease over energy costs and supply chains
  • Article
  • 12 Mar 2026
  • ICAEW Insights
ICAEW has surveyed members on impacts of the Middle East conflict, highlighting rising energy costs and supply chain disruption as the key concerns for UK businesses.
Group of people around a table having a meeting
Spring Forecast: despite optimistic tone, nothing has changed
  • Article
  • 04 Mar 2026
  • ICAEW Insights
The Chancellor pointed to falling government debt and a slight revising up of forecasts from the Office for Budget Responsibility as reasons to be more cheerful, but the immediate picture still looks muted.
Two people looking at the laptop having a conversation
How to conduct a supply chain review: three critical actions
  • Article
  • 02 Mar 2026
  • ICAEW Insights
Multi-tier supply chain reviews can unlock financial gains, expose hidden risks and cut inefficiency. By applying three decisive actions and leveraging AI tools, a comprehensive review can strengthen resilience and boost profitability.
Esther Mallowah Head of Tech Policy
2026: how to manage cyber and AI risk
  • Article
  • 26 Feb 2026
  • ICAEW Insights
With multiple high-profile cyber attacks last year, Esther Mallowah, Head of Tech Policy at ICAEW discusses if businesses should be worried and how to manage risk amid developing technology.
Bank of England
Economic update: where is the UK economy heading?
  • Article
  • 26 Feb 2026
  • Suren Thiru, Economies Director, ICAEW
The UK economy ended 2025 with a whimper, but the struggle against soaring prices took a decisive turn for the better this month. ICAEW’s Economies Director Suren Thiru discusses the implications and key points to watch.
A group of people sat down round a table having a meeting
Member insights: too many hurdles for businesses
  • Article
  • 26 Feb 2026
  • ICAEW Insights
The latest ICAEW member insights point to a mixed and uneven start to 2026. While some businesses report pockets of international growth, particularly in the US and parts of Asia, domestic conditions remain challenging.
Polly Tsang Senior Financial Services Regulatory Manager, ICAEW
2026: four trends currently reshaping financial services
  • Article
  • 25 Feb 2026
  • ICAEW Insights
From fragmentation of regulation to the challenges of emerging technology, Polly Tsang, Senior Financial Services Regulatory Manager at ICAEW shares the biggest trends in financial services this year.
Henning Diederichs, Senior Technical Manager in the Public Sector Team
2026: how data is the key to restoring public services
  • Article
  • 23 Feb 2026
  • ICAEW Insights
From increasing demand for services to tightening finances, there are big challenges facing the public sector in 2026, but big opportunities too, according to Henning Diederichs, Senior Technical Manager in the Public Sector Team at ICAEW.
Chart of the week: Real average pay in the UK
  • Article
  • 20 Feb 2026
  • ICAEW Insights
Our chart this week illustrates how UK average total pay fell by 0.2% in real terms over the 12 months to December 2025, following much stronger growth in the previous two years.
Group of people around a table having a meeting
Spring rate cut now almost assured as inflation drops
  • Article
  • 19 Feb 2026
  • ICAEW Insights
With the Office for National Statistics (ONS) announcing that UK inflation fell to 3% in the year to January 2026, ICAEW’s Economics Director Suren Thiru says a spring interest rate cut is now almost a given.
Economy explainers: How student loans work
  • Article
  • 17 Feb 2026
  • ICAEW Tax Faculty
With the student loans system attracting attention, ICAEW’s Tax Faculty explains the scale of student debt, the different types of student loan plan and how repayments are calculated and made.
Chart of the week: business births and deaths in the UK
  • Article
  • 13 Feb 2026
  • ICAEW Insights
Our chart looks at the cycle of business life since 2017, as the number of business births exceeded business deaths in 2025 for the second year in succession.
Chart of the week: global stock markets
  • Article
  • 30 Jan 2026
  • ICAEW Insights
Our chart looks at how the top 10 stocks from nine companies made up more than a fifth of global stock market values on 31 December 2025.
Wind turbines on a wooded hillside at dusk surrounded by clouds
Global natural capital accounting standard: Why it matters for finance professionals
  • Article
  • 29 Jan 2026
  • ICAEW Insights
The first global standard for natural capital accounting recognises the role that nature plays in sustaining business value. Learn more about ISO 14054 and its application.
A person holding a mobile phone in one hand, making a payment with a bank card, held in the other hand
Do data privacy concerns set the tone for cyber security in 2026?
  • Article
  • 29 Jan 2026
  • ICAEW Insights
We’re only a month into 2026 but already cyber and data privacy have been making headlines. With the spotlight on xAI’s Grok this month, you may have missed some other significant stories.
A group of people sat down round a table having a meeting
Member Insights: a less than confident start
  • Article
  • 29 Jan 2026
  • ICAEW Insights
Business confidence remains low in the first month of 2026, with businesses expressing a number of economic concerns.
Palace of Westminster, London
Influencing policy to support you: January 2026
  • Article
  • 29 Jan 2026
  • ICAEW Insights
At the start of 2026, ICAEW has been working with policymakers to find solutions to the potential impact of the Finance Bill on tax advisers, sharing the latest results of the business confidence monitor and informing debate on the Pension Schemes Bill.
Bank of England
Economic update: why the UK economy is sending red herring signals
  • Article
  • 28 Jan 2026
  • ICAEW Insights
The UK economy has grown but business confidence continues to weaken and inflation has risen. Suren Thiru, ICAEW’s Director, Economies, discusses the implications, what you need to know about current economic conditions and key points to watch.
Group of people around a table having a meeting
Business confidence takes a tumble in Wales
  • Article
  • 28 Jan 2026
  • ICAEW Insights
Welsh business confidence fell into negative territory in the fourth quarter of 2025, following the UK-wide slump in growth and confidence.
Group of people around a table having a meeting
Scottish business confidence low, forecasts weak
  • Article
  • 28 Jan 2026
  • ICAEW Insights
Mirroring the rest of the country, business confidence in Scotland has dropped to its lowest level since 2022, with ongoing uncertainty and low economic growth, a survey of business leaders has found.
Displaying 1-30 of 745 results
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