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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Business
Sarah Butler

UK firms halt investments and hiring as Iran war pushes up costs, bosses warn

A warehouse worker uses a reach forklift to load pallets laden with goods
Delays to materials, costs, stock shortages and suppliers folding are a top concern for two in five business leaders. Photograph: Dmitriy Shironosov/Alamy

The worsening fallout from the Iran war is forcing businesses to halt their UK investment and hiring plans, bosses have warned, as Britain enters a renewed period of political and economic instability.

More than two months into the US-Israeli war on Iran, leading surveys of UK employers showed companies were increasingly prioritising cost management over growth as rising costs and global uncertainty weigh on confidence.

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