BRADFORD Chamber of Commerce’s new quarterly report shows continued optimism in district’s economy. Members of the district group said they expect profits to increase during 2015 as trading conditions improve. There is still plenty of caution among many firms as they face unpredictability, but more businesses are preparing to invest in growing than they did last year.

Order books for many firms, in both domestic and foreign markets, are looking better, after struggling during the last quarter. Companies are looking to invest in new equipment, if not necessarily in staff training at the moment and there is an expectation workforce numbers could increase later this year. Cashflow also improved slightly against the previous quarter, the survey, carried out at the end of last year, found. The Bradford Chamber of Commerce asks its members each quarter of the year a host of questions about trading conditions and how external factors such as costs and rates are affecting them. It then tracks economic performance and confidence across the district to support its representation activities with policy-makers and others, such as the Bank of England.

There was virtually no change in turnover level for a majority of Bradford firms responding to the Chamber survey, but improving expectations of increased profits could be seen as a major pointer. But many district companies continue to stress the uncertain nature of being in business in recent years.

These concerns include ongoing international military conflict, EU economic instability and the General Election in May are all cited as areas of concern affecting business confidence.

Mike Cartwright, Bradford Chamber of Commerce’s policy and representation executive, said: “Trading is picking up for many businesses.

“We all hope that this will be sustained over the medium and long-term, but there is also more than enough going on to act as a distraction from putting in fresh investment. “It’s another aspect to what was initially called the ‘new normal’, whereby there’s no return to the heady days before the recession, and growth and trading would be much more modest. “This has proved to be the case. However, for the first economic marker for 2015, it’s not too bad a start.”