Two-thirds (66%) of chief financial officers in Britain say they feel more positive about the country as a place to invest and do business than they did at the start of the year, according to new research by European business spend management platform Pleo.
A similar proportion (64%) reported feeling more confident about the overall economic outlook compared with the beginning of 2026. That optimism is reflected in plans for the year ahead, with 65% expecting their organisation’s overall business investment to increase.
Planned Spending Areas
Around two-thirds of finance chiefs expect increased spending across several areas, including hiring, technology and AI, products and services, offices, buildings and facilities, and expansion into new markets.
Investment in people is also expected to rise, with 65% anticipating more spending on team social events and engagement, and 62% on employee benefits and wellbeing.
Shift in Mood
The findings mark a change in sentiment from early 2025, when previous Pleo research found that 56% of UK finance professionals expected the year ahead to be tougher than the last.
Jeppe Rindom, CEO and co-founder of Pleo, said: “It’s encouraging to see finance leaders feeling more confident and looking to invest in the year ahead, despite the challenges that businesses are still facing.
“But planning to spend more is one thing. Deciding where that money goes is another. When businesses want to hire, launch new products and invest in technology at the same time, someone has to make the difficult calls about what comes first and what can wait.
“Having been a CFO myself, I know that the job isn’t simply about keeping costs down. It’s about making sure the business can back the right opportunities while staying on top of the risks. That’s a difficult balance, but it’s also where finance leaders can make a real difference.”
