Displaying Reports and Figures
Displaying Reports and Figures
Annual report
09 September 2026
This is the Economic Intelligence Wales annual report for 2025/26. The report reviews recent economic conditions relevant to SME development in Wales. It highlights the persistence in issues constraining the UK and Welsh economy which is leading to low growth forecasts and low SME confidence. Labour market conditions have weakened; economic inactivity remains comparatively high in Wales with its construction activity and goods exporting being subdued.

Access to finance has improved, with greater credit availability and higher lending to small firms but borrowing costs edged up. In this context, the Development Bank continues to play a key role.
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Annual report
09 September 2026
This is the Economic Intelligence Wales annual report for 2025/26. The report reviews recent economic conditions relevant to SME development in Wales. It highlights the persistence in issues constraining the UK and Welsh economy which is leading to low growth forecasts and low SME confidence. Labour market conditions have weakened; economic inactivity remains comparatively high in Wales with its construction activity and goods exporting being subdued.

Access to finance has improved, with greater credit availability and higher lending to small firms but borrowing costs edged up. In this context, the Development Bank continues to play a key role.
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Wales
Wales
SME business ownership succession planning
16 July 2026
Economic Intelligence Wales commissioned Cardiff Business School to undertake a review of SME business ownership succession planning in Wales.

The report brings together new analysis of the scale of the succession challenge, alongside insights from business and stakeholder interviews, to better understand how ownership transitions are currently approached across Welsh SMEs.
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SME business ownership succession planning
16 July 2026
Economic Intelligence Wales commissioned Cardiff Business School to undertake a review of SME business ownership succession planning in Wales.

The report brings together new analysis of the scale of the succession challenge, alongside insights from business and stakeholder interviews, to better understand how ownership transitions are currently approached across Welsh SMEs.
View report
Displaying Reports and Figures
Displaying Reports and Figures
Quarterly report
21 May 2026
This is the third Economic Intelligence Wales quarterly report for 2025/26. The report reviews recent economic conditions relevant to SME development in Wales alongside Development Bank of Wales’ investment activity in Q3 2025/26.

It highlights growing global and domestic uncertainty following geopolitical pressures, with weaker labour market conditions, elevated economic inactivity and continued contraction in the Welsh construction sector.

SME confidence remains low, though business births exceeded business deaths, and export values increased modestly. Access to finance improved slightly, with higher SME lending volumes despite rising borrowing costs.
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Quarterly report
21 May 2026
This is the third Economic Intelligence Wales quarterly report for 2025/26. The report reviews recent economic conditions relevant to SME development in Wales alongside Development Bank of Wales’ investment activity in Q3 2025/26.

It highlights growing global and domestic uncertainty following geopolitical pressures, with weaker labour market conditions, elevated economic inactivity and continued contraction in the Welsh construction sector.

SME confidence remains low, though business births exceeded business deaths, and export values increased modestly. Access to finance improved slightly, with higher SME lending volumes despite rising borrowing costs.
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Welsh landscape
Welsh landscape
Wales SME Access to Finance Report
04 February 2026
Economic Intelligence Wales has been collaborating with the British Business Bank to better understand the differences between sub-national access to finance. 

The report analyses results from a survey of almost 500 Welsh SMEs, which found that 17% of Welsh SMEs reported requiring additional financing over the next 12 months. Businesses in North Wales and South West Wales were most likely to require finance over the next year.
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Wales SME Access to Finance Report
04 February 2026
Economic Intelligence Wales has been collaborating with the British Business Bank to better understand the differences between sub-national access to finance. 

The report analyses results from a survey of almost 500 Welsh SMEs, which found that 17% of Welsh SMEs reported requiring additional financing over the next 12 months. Businesses in North Wales and South West Wales were most likely to require finance over the next year.
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Wales
Wales
FinTech, relationship banking and lending to SMEs
21 January 2026
Economic Intelligence Wales commissioned Cardiff Business School to examine how FinTech affects SME access to credit and relationship banking in Wales through a survey of over 200 Welsh SMEs.

The study shows that strong, long‑standing banking relationships continue to support businesses while digital innovation is creating new opportunities for improved communication and faster access to funding.
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FinTech, relationship banking and lending to SMEs
21 January 2026
Economic Intelligence Wales commissioned Cardiff Business School to examine how FinTech affects SME access to credit and relationship banking in Wales through a survey of over 200 Welsh SMEs.

The study shows that strong, long‑standing banking relationships continue to support businesses while digital innovation is creating new opportunities for improved communication and faster access to funding.
View report
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Welsh construction sector output continues to drop

About

Economic Intelligence Wales collates and analyses data to create independent, robust and reliable insight to help better understand and improve the Welsh economy.

Authors

An overview of the Economic Intelligence Wales representatives and other academic researchers who have authored reports or are currently working on commissioned reports.

Stakeholders

A unique research collaboration between the Development Bank, Cardiff Business School, Bangor Business School, the Enterprise Research Centre and the Office for National Statistics