
Regional firms cited investment in staff, introducing new products and services and breaking into new markets as priority growth activities.
The new year has brought an uptick in confidence among the North East's business leaders, new research suggests.
Overall business confidence in the region rose nine points, month-on-month, in January, according to the latest Business Barometer from Lloyds Bank. Firms in the region reported higher confidence in their own business prospects, up 21 points at 68% - the strongest of any UK nation or region - but their confidence in the wider economy was down three points to 22%.