Grant Thornton issues export report

Business optimism soars in Eurozone

A survey of global business leaders by Grant Thornton has revealed international planned exports have hit an 18-month high.

The latest International Business Report has however, highlighted the importance of agility to exporters.

The survey of 2,500 businesses in 36 economies shows how healthy increases in investment and consumer spending, coupled with steadily falling unemployment, are being reflected in positive business sentiment.

Business leader optimism in Eurozone countries, for example, is at almost a two-year high of 43%.

Among the key findings for the first quarter of 2017 are that export expectations are up on the previous six months, by 3% among G7 countries and 2% in the EU.

This is largely due to the political shift in the US which has created a strong dollar and put imports at a competitive advantage compared with local products.

Richard Ratcliffe, a director of Grant Thornton in the Isle of Man, says the survey shows exporting businesses need to be agile in order to benefit from sudden shifts in political and economic conditions in other countries.