Businesses in the North East ended 2021 in better shape than they started it but have growing worries over inflation and energy prices, a new survey shows.
The quarterly economic survey from the North East England Chamber of Commerce found that just over half of businesses polled (52.7%) were operating at full capacity, a significant increase from the 31% reported a year earlier.
Firms were broadly positive when asked about sales and investment, but sentiment in those areas has cooled in the last quarter, and the number of businesses facing cost pressures from pay settlements and the cost of raw materials has increased significantly.
