74% of medium-sized businesses in the UK are worried about the impact of late or failed payments.
According to a LondonLovesBusiness article, recent research by Atradius reveals that, while 65% of UK businesses remain confident in their ability to navigate challenges and sustain growth, rising costs are prompting action. Of those surveyed, 57% plan to increase prices to offset the impact of budget changes, while 36% are willing to absorb the additional costs, even […]
The Trump effect: Trade credit insurers brace for growing demand.
Global Trade Review (GTR) has reported that experts are predicting that US President Donald Trump’s protectionist trade policies will likely boost demand for credit insurance as firms grapple with non-payment threats. The Berne Union’s Business Confidence Trends Index reveals that credit and political risk insurers anticipate a jump in demand for short-term policies. The report says, […]
Coface’s 2025 Country Risk Handbook.
The latest edition of Coface’s flagship publication is now available. It delivers a detailed analysis of over 160 countries, integrating macroeconomic indicators, sector-specific assessments, and political risk evaluations. The analysis includes: Detailed country-by-country economic indicators and forecasts Sector-specific risk assessments across 13 major industries In-depth political risk analysis and its impact on business operations Special […]
The UK private sector expects activity to fall again.
Private sector firms expect another significant fall in activity over the next three months (weighted balance of -22%), according to the Confederation of British Industry’s (CBI) latest Growth Indicator. Expectations are broadly unchanged from December, which were the weakest in over two years. This pessimism was widespread across the private sector. Business volumes in […]
The number of UK sectors with falling output increases.
The number of UK sectors reporting falling output rose to eleven in December 2024, up from eight in November, and the highest number since September 2023, according to data from the latest Lloyds UK Sector Tracker. The number of sectors with growing demand was one less than in November (four) and came as the number […]
The percentage of UK enterprises that fear closure in the next three months has hit a two-year peak.
The percentage of UK small business owners predicting growth (33%) has dipped to a nine-month low, according to the latest quarterly data from Novuna Business Finance. While 45% see Q1 as a standstill period, there is a four-year high in the percentage of small businesses saying they will contract by the end of March (13%), […]
One in five UK-listed companies issued a profit warning in 2024.
EY-Parthenon’s latest Profit Warnings report found that one in five (19%) UK-listed companies issued a profit warning in 2024, the third highest annual proportion in twenty-five years, behind only the 2020 pandemic (35%) and the impact of the dot-com bubble burst and 9/11 in 2001 (23%). EY-Parthenon’s report found that UK-listed companies issued 274 profit […]
Historic jump in the number of firms in critical financial distress.
The latest “Red Flag Alert” report from Begbies Traynor reveals “a worrying” 50.2% surge in the number of businesses in the UK entering ‘critical’ financial distress in the final quarter of 2024. Of the twenty-two sectors covered by Red Flag Alert, twenty-one saw a noticeable increase quarter-on-quarter in the number of businesses in ‘critical’ financial […]
Insolvencies in 2025 look set to increase in countries that account for 50% of global GDP.
Allianz Trade’s latest Country Risk Atlas suggests that the global average of the structural business environment (SBE) in 2024 was worse compared to pre-pandemic levels, with eighteen countries seeing a deterioration in their score. In addition, the global average of commercial risk scores, which stood below 2 (Medium) pre-pandemic, moved closer to Sensitive risk, while […]
Trade credit insurers reinstate cover for Asos suppliers.
Drapers has reported that trade credit insurers Atradus and Coface have reinstated cover for Asos suppliers. Atradius and Coface restored cover last month after withdrawing it in 2023 due to concerns over the fashion retailers’ falling profits and the challenging economic environment. The Times also reported that another trade credit insurer, Cartan Trade, has opened up cover for […]
Trade credit insurance saves Billington from ISG hit.
Construction Enquirer has reported that structural steel giant Billington has said a payout from its credit insurer has spared it from a major hit following the collapse of ISG. In a trading statement today, it said: “The Group has received an interim payment from its credit insurer, and subject to formal acceptance by the insurer of […]
Data indicates a spike in EU business bankruptcies in transport in Q3 2024.
New data on business registrations and bankruptcies from Eurostat shows that, in the third quarter of 2024, the number of bankruptcy declarations of EU businesses increased by 2.7% compared with the second quarter of 2024. At the same time, business registrations also went up by 2.2% compared with the second quarter of 2024. The number […]
New Fair Payment Code.
With the support of the Department of Business and Trade, the Small Business Commissioner has launched a new Fair Payment Code. The new Code rewards businesses in the UK for adopting fair payment practices for suppliers of all sizes, and will include a set of fair payment principles that companies are required to sign up […]
Increase in bankruptcies and registrations in Q3 2024.
New data from Eurostat indicates that the number of EU business registrations increased in most economic sectors. When compared with the previous quarter, in Q3 2024, the highest increases in the number of registrations were in transport (+3.9%), construction (+3.7%) and the financial sector (+2.7). Decreases were recorded only in the information and communication sector […]
The insolvency domino effect looms over the UK construction industry.
RSM UK has reported that the UK construction industry experienced the highest number of insolvencies from 12 months to September 2024, reaching a total of 4,264 — much higher than levels seen during the COVID-19 pandemic and between 2014 and 2019. Commenting on the latest construction insolvency statistics, Kelly Boorman, National Head of Construction at […]
UK retail faces a surge in late payments amid mixed signals.
Insurance Business has reported that the UK retail sector is navigating a mix of challenges and opportunities as 2024 draws to a close. According to Atradius, there have been significant increases in late payments and insolvencies across specific retail categories in Q3 2024, with notable rises in payment defaults within retail supply chains. For example, domestic […]
Only 5% of UK companies qualify to be fast payers.
Good Business Pays has reported that only 5% — 1% fewer than in 2023 — of the 5,367 UK’s largest companies that report payment terms have qualified for its 2024 Fast Payer Award (i.e., big businesses that have paid at least 95% of invoices on time and within twenty-seven days or less). Furthermore, only 21.8% […]
Profit warnings issued by UK-listed companies reached a two-year high in Q3.
According to EY-Parthenon’s latest Profit Warnings report, UK-listed companies issued eighty-four profit warnings between July and September 2024 — the highest quarterly total for two years. The report found that profit warnings from UK-listed companies rose 11% compared with Q3 2023, and the proportion of those that have issued a warning over the last year […]
New Fair Payment Code.
With the support of the Department of Business and Trade, the UK’s Small Business Commissioner has announced that it will launch a new Fair Payment Code later in Autumn 2024. The new Code will reward businesses that adopt fair payment practices for suppliers of all sizes and will include a set of fair payment principles […]
October sales growth stagnates, signalling a challenging festive period.
According to BDO’s latest High Street Sales Tracker, total retail sales across discretionary spend categories grew by +4.1% in October, compared to an overall sales decline of 1.7% for the same month last year. Last month’s growth was driven primarily by online sales, which increased by +9.1% compared to October 2023, while, in comparison, in-store […]
SME exporters are consistently more likely to report decreased exports compared to before the pandemic and Brexit.
The latest Trade Confidence Outlook, conducted by the British Chamber of Commerce (BCC) Insights Unit, shows the percentage of SME exporters reporting increased exports has fallen back in Q3 by 5% after an uptick in Q2. Overall, 22% of SME exporters in the UK reported an increase in export sales, 24% reported a decrease, and […]
UK company insolvencies in October 2024 were 34% higher than in September.
New data from Creditsafe has found that 2,941 companies in the UK became insolvent in October 2024 – a 34% increase compared to September and 17% higher than the same month in 2023. 16% of insolvencies in October came from within the UK construction sector. High-profile cases included Hadden Construction and C.G. Godfrey Ltd, which […]
Business bad debt has increased by 127%.
According to a new report by Bibby Financial Services (BFS), the value of bad debt suffered by small businesses has surged by “a staggering” 127%. BFS’s SME Confidence Tracker found that businesses have written-off an average of nearly £40,000 in unpaid invoices in the last 12 months, up from an average of £17,500 in the […]
Profit warnings issued by UK-listed companies reach a two-year high.
Analysis by EY-Parthenon shows that UK-listed companies issued eighty-four profit warnings in Q3 2024, an 11% increase compared to the same quarter in 2023 and the highest quarterly total for two years. According to EY-Parthenon, unusually, the latest rise in warnings wasn’t triggered by a sudden economic downturn, a one-off event, or a sudden increase […]
A record number of UK businesses are now in significant financial distress.
The latest Begbies Traynor “Red Flag Alert” research reports that the number of companies in the UK facing ‘significant’ financial distress has increased by 5.1% in Q3 2024 to 632,756 businesses – 32.3% higher than Q3 2023 (478,176). According to Begbies Traynor, the increase was driven by noticeable increases in distress in the Utilities (+19.3%), Food & […]
Debt Collection Handbook UK 2024.
Atradius Collections has published its International Debt Collection Handbook. The UK handbook explains the different regulations and procedures for debt collections in the UK, presents a snapshot of the UK’s economic situation and covers the following topics: Debt collection costs, Prescription, Payment methods, Types of companies, Retention of title, Safeguard measures, Legal procedures & legal […]
Construction bankruptcies look set to peak in 2025.
A new report from Allianz Trade suggests that construction bankruptcies are showing sharp increases across the eurozone this year, but the peak has not yet been reached and will follow next year. The latest figures show an increase in insolvencies (compared to a year ago) of +20% in Germany, +21% in Belgium, +31% in France, […]
Allianz Trade anticipates a sharp rise in global business insolvencies for 2024.
When Allianz Trade released its first global insolvency forecasts in February, the company was already expecting a strong increase in 2024 (+9%) followed by a stabilisation in 2025. However, recent developments have led to an even grimmer picture, with a +11% rise now forecast for this year, followed by a peak in 2025. Business insolvencies […]
China’s economic troubles ripple worldwide.
Atradius has published an article that warns that as the Chinese economy continues to falter, the spillover is expected to impact exposed economies around the world. Although no country is entirely immune from the effects of China’s economic woes, Asia-Pacific economies occupy the top positions in the league table of risk. In terms of trade, […]
Asia expects insolvencies to rise as China’s economy slows.
Atradius’ latest Payment Practices Barometer has reported that a rising level of insolvency risk has emerged as a major concern looking ahead for half of companies across Asia, with widespread worries it could negatively impact B2B trade on credit. India, Indonesia, Japan and Singapore are the markets most preoccupied about future insolvency risk, but worry […]