Mid-size firms' fastest growth since election

MIDDLE-market businesses are growing at their fastest rate since Labour was elected last July, fresh research has suggested, as bosses shake off cost increases in taxes and utility bills.

- By Mauricio Alencar

Labour has made economic growth a central mission in government, with small and medium-sized firms highlighted as key to driving income.

New research by NatWest has suggested mid-market service providers saw their strongest rate of growth in 15 months in June. The tracker, which uses data from S&P Global's Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI), suggested the service sector was "solely responsible" for the upturn.

And middle-market firms benefited from more sales projects and new product launches, performing better than smaller firms struggling with higher costs and lower demand.