UK business confidence index
UK business confidence index stood at 101.45 in Sep 2026, according to OECD Short-Term Economic Statistics. It is one of the indicators in the Confidence and leading indicators table (Value · Monthly), with a complete series running from Jan 1985 to Sep 2026. The complete series with an interactive chart, free to download.
This indicator in the Confidence and leading indicators table
| Indicator | 09-2026 | 08-2026 | 07-2026 | 06-2026 | 05-2026 | 04-2026 | 03-2026 | 02-2026 | 01-2026 | 12-2025 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business confidence | 101.45 | 99.62 | 98.21 | 97.86 | 98.32 | 98.89 | 99.34 | 99.42 | 99.37 | 99.03 | |
| Consumer confidence | 100.91 | 100.23 | 99.41 | 98.64 | 98.24 | 98.23 | 98.69 | 99.29 | 99.71 | 99.74 | |
| Reference series (GDP) | 100.49 | 100.42 | 100.34 | 100.26 | 100.18 | 100.13 |
Understanding UK business confidence index
Broad entrepreneurial sentiment across the corporate sector of the United Kingdom is evaluated through standardised business surveys reflecting executive expectations for trading conditions. This index aggregates responses from multiple industrial and service activities, capturing managerial confidence regarding future sales and hiring. Unlike narrow production metrics, this overarching measure provides a generalised assessment of corporate climate across diverse commercial operations.
Evaluating this business confidence index involves recognising that executive sentiment can shift rapidly in response to policy announcements or geopolitical events, occasionally introducing short-term noise. Analysts should examine consecutive monthly movements to confirm genuine shifts in commercial outlook rather than reacting to isolated survey waves. Comparing this metric with consumer confidence requires noting that business leaders often possess different forecasting horizons compared to households.
Frequently asked questions
- What does the business confidence index measure for the United Kingdom corporate sector?
- It measures managerial sentiment and executive expectations regarding future trading and operational conditions.
- How does this overarching business index differ from specialised manufacturing surveys?
- It aggregates sentiment across a broader mix of commercial activities rather than isolating factory-level production trends.
- Why might business confidence fluctuate independently of actual quarterly output?
- Executive sentiment reacts immediately to perceived policy and market changes, which can temporarily diverge from realised production levels.