UK business confidence increases for fifth month in a row, survey shows

Institute of Directors index returns to levels last seen just before Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022

Business confidence has increased for the fifth month in a row, according to a regular health-check by bosses’ lobby group the Institute of Directors.

The IoD’s “economic confidence index”, which surveys company directors on issues such as the wider economy and their own plans for hiring and investment, rose to -5 in April, up from -13 the previous month.