ISME reports lower optimism

A sharp reduction in business optimism was registered by the Irish Small and Medium Enterprises Association (ISME) quarterly business survey for Spring 2007.

The survey results, published yesterday, found that business confidence, employment and investment prospects are set to reduce with economic uncertainty.

It found that SMEs are continuing to create jobs, but at a slower pace than previously, with 15% of companies employing more than at this time last year.In manufacturing, however, there was no increase in employment in the last year.