Concerns around the state of the 海角视频 economy are growing after a regular business survey recorded its first decline in almost three years.
The NatWest PMI survey, which questions business leaders in 海角视频 regions on a number of factors, fell below 50, showing a declining economy. The index fell for the first time in nearly three years.
The survey suggested companies are seeing rapid decreases in output and new orders, while job numbers also fell, due in part to a softening of business confidence.
The Natwest survey is the latest to suggest growing problems in the 海角视频 economy, coming after national figures that suggested it was on the verge of contracting.
Last week, new figures on the services sector was close to stagnation last month, while manufacturing and construction industries shrank in June. The 海角视频鈥檚 productivity crisis also increased after figures showed a third straight quarter of decline.
Sebastian Burnside, NatWest chief economist, said: 鈥淭he latest PMI surveys showed that the 海角视频 ended the second quarter in contraction, though it鈥檚 encouraging to see that some regions have managed to keep their heads above water. Businesses in Wales and the North West have shown the greatest resilience to the broader economic downturn, though even here growth is running at only a modest pace.
鈥淎t the other end of the scale, the weight of Brexit uncertainty has caused Northern Ireland to sink deeper into contraction, while the troubles in the car industry look to be hitting the North East and Midlands particularly hard.聽聽聽聽聽聽聽
鈥淭here was better news on the employment front in June, as rates of job creation picked up in the majority of regions, led by strong workforce growth in Yorkshire & Humber .鈥
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Wales was the top-performing area for business activity growth in June, while the North West, the East of England , Scotland, Yorkshire & Humber and London also saw growth, albeit at lower levels than in recent months.
But there were decreases in business activity in all six remaining areas monitored by the survey, with the steepest drop in output seen in Northern Ireland, followed by the East Midlands and North East.
The PMI Business Activity Index tracks the monthly change in the output of goods and services across the private sector.
Despite the challenges facing businesses, most regions returned positive scores for business confidence, though mostly at lower levels than in previous surveys.
