UK economy entering 2026 amid sharp private sector downturn, says CBI

Business lobby survey finds firms ‘put brakes on key spending decisions’ before autumn budgetHeather Stewart: Four reasons to be cheerful about UK plc in 2026Wes Streeting urges closer EU trading ties to grow economyUK failure to seal EU tax exemption hands firms pile of paperworkBusiness leaders have warned that Britain is entering 2026 amid a sharp economic downturn in the private sector, after companies “put the brakes on” investment and hiring before the autumn budget.In a gloomy snapshot after months of tax speculation, the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) said private sector output was on track to fall in the fourth quarter of 2025. Continue reading…