Optimism continues after Brexit vote
Today we publish the report on our latest QCA/YouGov Small and Mid-cap Sentiment Index. In this 17th edition we continue to track key components of business sentiment. We also asked for your views on the result of the EU Referendum and what impact this would have on small and mid-cap quoted companies.
Highlights from the results include:
- Optimism in the economy among small and mid-size quoted companies remains stable at 56.3 when compared with pre-referendum results (54.4). Calculated on a scale where 100 represents ‘very optimistic’, 0 ‘very pessimistic’, 50 ‘neutral’.
- Sentiment towards companies' own business prospects remains at a similar level of pre-Brexit (67.6 now vs. 68.8 before).
- Fewer companies indicate that they will increase their workforce over the next 12 months and the mean expected rise in employment over the next 12 months is at an all-time low of only 3.2% since the survey began in 2011.
- The number of companies considering raising capital has fallen to just over a third (37%), its lowest point since 2014 where at least two-fifths concurrently said otherwise.
- Where companies are looking to raise capital, an increased proportion point to public equity as their preferred choice. This has reached an all-time high (59%).
- While companies remain optimistic in their own business prospects overall – the future sales outlook has dropped slightly from a mean expected turnover change of +15.7% to +13.2%.
To find out more click here to download the report.
Thank you to those that participated in the survey. We welcome your feedback on any aspects of the survey, the report, or relevant issues affecting the sector – please email us.
