Businesses have become more optimistic about their prospects in September than they were three months before, a survey by the British Institute of Directors (IOD) says.
The balance of those companies that were generally more optimistic about their company prospects minus those that were less optimistic rose to 35 per cent in September from 23 per cent in June and compared with -6 per cent during the Iraq war.
"The latest survey hints at better times to come, with business optimism, output and profit expectations looking much better," Mr Graeme Leach, chief economist at the IOD said.
But he warned expectations tend to be volatile and that he did not feel this indicated a return to strong economic growth in the business sector just yet.