BUSINESS confidence in the country and the region is improving dramatically, according to two new reports out this week.

International property advisers Jones Lang Wootton say 70 per cent of businesses in the North West anticipate an improvement in their situation next year.

The annual survey, compiled by interviewing 259 senior executives in the region's largest companies, suggests confidence is strongest in the retail and distribution sectors.

Office employment has remained constant over the last year but there has been "significant expansion" in the industrial and manufacturing sector.

A second report by UPS Europe Business Monitor, which surveyed 1,500 businesses throughout Europe, said corporate confidence had reached a record high.

The UK comes second only to Germany as the economy tipped by business leaders to show the strongest growth in the next year.

And the UK is the only economy tipped to see a net increase in jobs.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.