New research has found that 37 per cent of the UK’s small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) now have an appetite to explore trading in non-EU markets, up from just 34 per cent last year.
According to a new study, 21 per cent of SMEs have ambitions to begin trading with non-EU nations within the next two years, while 16 per cent are eyeing up trade opportunities within the bloc.
The survey also found that medium-sized companies are more likely to explore business opportunities overseas than their smaller competitors, with 75 per cent of medium businesses claiming to be interested in expanding overseas, compared with 50 per cent of small firms.
Examining each region in turn, SMEs in London were the most ambitious, with 68 per cent eyeing up overseas trade.
This figure compares with 61 per cent of firms in North East England, 56 per cent of businesses in the Yorkshire and Humber region, 47 per cent of firms in South West England and South Wales, and 46 per cent of enterprises in the East of England.