BME Growth's González: Public markets have a responsibility to plug widening SME funding gap

Value of M&A deals at 11-year low

While a new year typically brings with it a palpable sense of positivity, there remains a very real threat to countless businesses, investors and communities that must not be underplayed.

Frankly, it is hard to recall a period over the last decade in which it has been tougher for small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs) to access funding.  As a result of the global economic slowdown and higher borrowing costs, banks worldwide have been forced to restrict credit lending policies considerably. Take-private deals dominate UK M&A landscape in 2023 According to the recent bank lending surveys conducted by the Federal Reserve and the European Central Bank, many banks have already tightened credit standards across all product categories - a trend that looks unlikely to su...