BUSINESS confidence in Yorkshire has fallen over the past four months - but the region is less negative than most areas of Britain.

That is the conclusion of the latest Regional Trends Survey published by the CBI and Experian Business Strategies.

Export optimism for the year ahead actually rose in Yorkshire, bucking a national downward trend.

Total new orders fell slightly, but there was expectation for a modest upturn in the next four months, compared with an expected marginal fall nationally.

Meanwhile, the latest study by Cattles Invoice Finance suggests that business in Yorkshire performed better than anywhere else in the country last year, with 84 per cent of companies in the region reporting the same or higher profits compared with the national average of 78 per cent.

The study identifies cash flow as the key concern for business start-ups in Yorkshire. This could be because 50 per cent of companies are still not paid on time.

A separate survey carried out by Experian Business Services for the final quarter of last year confirms that even though consumer confidence is down slightly, the "feelgood factor" in Yorkshire was still two points ahead of the UK as a whole.

But the survey for the last quarter of 2002 shows that Yorkshire consumers were becoming increasingly worried about the outlook for the coming year

The figures showed that 50 per cent of the population were saving, compared with 53 per cent in the previous quarter and 11 per cent were in debt compared with nine per cent previously.

Those who were optimistic about the economic outlook now have a lead of only 11 per cent over those who were not. Fears of unemployment were also rising.

Updated: 10:43 Tuesday, February 18, 2003