IoD: business confidence ticks up in December, but hiring and investment remain under pressure
The IoD's Directors' Economic Confidence Index, which tracks business leader optimism about the wider UK economy, rose to -66 in December, up from -73 in November, which had been measured immediately before the Budget.
Budget cuts, hiring freezes, team reshuffles, and industry downturns often signal impending redundancies; quiet firing and quiet cutting can prompt voluntary departures.
The labor market feels so awful right now because companies are doing everything bar announcing mass layoffs, says the Fed | Fortune
Companies are reducing headcount through hiring freezes, replacement-only hiring, reduced hours, and AI-driven role cuts, weakening labor demand and denting consumer confidence.