Confidence among British employers climbed in June to its highest level since 2015, with companies increasingly upbeat about the economy, according to Reuters, citing Lloyds Bank's latest Business Barometer published on Monday. The survey's measure of economic optimism rose by one point to 51 per cent, extending May's 11-point rebound following a sharp dip in April triggered by US import tariff threats. Economic optimism also reached a 10-month high. Hiring sentiment strengthened, with 60 per cent of firms expecting to expand their workforce over the coming year—a signal businesses are gearing up for growth, said Lloyds senior economist Hann-Ju Ho. However, the Bank of England remains cautious. Governor Andrew Bailey warned last week of a potential labour market slowdown, partly due to the new employer tax hike introduced in April. Despite this, the Lloyds survey found wage expectations rising for a second consecutive month, with 36 per cent of businesses anticipating pay increases of 3 per cent or more. Separately, jobs website Adzuna reported a 0.5 per cent year-on-year rise in UK vacancies in May, marking the third monthly increase following a prolonged decline. The Confederation of British Industry noted business expectations had slightly improved in June but remained subdued amid elevated employment costs and global economic uncertainty. Attribution: Reuters Subediting: M. S. Salama
