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Welsh firms confident of growth
Western Mail
|February 17, 2026
EARLY nine in 10 (89%) businesses in Wales are confident about growth this year, according to new research from professional advisory firm KPMG.
Harbourside, Port Talbot, part of the Celtic Freeport project
Its annual private enterprise barometer shows confidence over growth among Welsh firms is 2% higher than the UK average of 87%.
Increased demand for products and services was identified as the main reason for the outlook, cited by 43% of Welsh businesses, while 42% highlighted plans to introduce new technology as another reason for optimism in the year ahead.
Technology also dominated as a leading investment priority for Wales-based businesses, with 39% identifying areas such as digital transformation as a key investment focus, followed closely by investment in artificial intelligence (38%), both in line with the UK averages.
This story is from the February 17, 2026 edition of Western Mail.
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