NORTH West firms are among the least optimistic in the country according to a survey by Dun & Bradstreet, out today.

Optimism over sales and profits over the coming months are significantly down. Just over half of businesses in the region expect to take on more staff.

Only the East Midlands shares such a gloomy outlook. Scotland and Wales are both upbeat about the future.

A separate survey by the CCN Group warns of falling profits in the region.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.