Businesses are wrapped in optimism. A net 22% of businesses are optimistic about the year ahead, up 1 point on the month prior. The construction sector is the most optimistic and manufacturing the least, but all sectors sit on the positive side of the ledger.

Businesses are jolly when they consider the outlook for their own firms. A net 40% of businesses expect better times for their own business with positivity across all the five major sectors. That's 12 points above the long-run average and flags very strong growth. Construction sector activity expectations are poles ahead of the others, sitting at a celebratory net 63%