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Profit warnings double among Midlands companies

New research says uncertainty over Brexit continues to be cited as a factor by companies

Profit warnings among Midlands companies have doubled year on year(Image: Tim Ireland/PA Wire)

Twelve profit warnings were issued by listed companies in the Midlands in the last quarter - exactly double the amount in the same period last year.

New research from financial services firm EY said the warnings came from a wide variety of sectors, with many companies citing uncertainty over Brexit as one of the causes.

The Profit Warnings Report said the number for Q2 2019 was the highest since Q2 2008 and half of all these latest warnings issued were by businesses with a turnover under £200 million.

The warnings were made across ten sectors including construction, automotive, general retail and support services and the number was down from 15 in the first quarter of this year.

The West Midlands region fared better than its counterpart in the East, with warnings falling from ten in Q1 to four while they rose from two to eight in the East Midlands.

In the º£½ÇÊÓÆµ overall, 69 profit warnings were issued between April and June this year - up 19 per cent year-on-year - which EY said represented the highest second quarter total since 2008.

Dan Hurd, EY's head of restructuring in the Midlands, said: "There is now clear evidence that prolonged Brexit uncertainty has created a hiatus in business activity, with companies struggling to forecast and plan.

"And the economic impact is spreading, affecting a broad range of sectors.