The economy

A radical alternative to laying off staff could see workers, whose firms are suffering a fall in demand, paid to remain at home.

After its prolonged battering, the UK’s manufacturing sector may be about to turn a corner.

The UK’s small business sector is experiencing tentative signs of a recovery, according to a new survey.

A manifesto has called on the government to place the manufacturing sector at the centre of a better balanced and more diverse UK economy.

Over a half of employers are planning to keep wages on hold during the next round of pay talks, a new survey has indicated.

Many firms are still experiencing the effects of the credit crunch, with business lending suffering its biggest drop in nine years.

The government wants to hear from SMEs about the difficulties they are facing when it comes to securing growth capital.

The cost of running a small business has fallen for the second successive quarter.

The UK economy may at last be emerging from the recession, a leading think tank has suggested.

Lending to both large and small firms remains weak, the Bank of England has said.