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Welsh businesses are more confident at the start of this year, most of their bosses believing that they’re in their strongest position since the recession, a survey involving 548 companies in the region has revealed. The South Wales Chamber of Commerce’s quarterly survey monitored firms’ performance in the three months to December 2013 and found that 85% of them reported improved or consistent UK sales compared with 75% at the start of the year, while the overseas exports figure was 84%, up from 76%.

SMEs in Wales are displaying renewed confidence in their business prospects, which is translated into job creation, latest research from the Federation of Small Businesses has revealed.

21st Century Schools, the Welsh Government’s school-rebuilding programme, is set to receive a £200m funding boost, a news report in the local media has revealed. The programme is designed to upgrade schools across Wales and funding is provided jointly by the Welsh Government and local government.

HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) will offer voluntary redundancy to its staff in Carmarthenshire and Pembrokeshire following a business review, a news report in the local business media has revealed. HMRC said in a statement: "HMRC’s business areas have continually reviewed where work should be done and adjusted their workforce and offices in response to business need.

A residential developer has applied for planning permission from the Carmarthenshire County Council regarding a 34-property residential scheme set to be built on land behind Gwernllwyn Country Club Llanelli, in the village of Cross Hands, Carmarthenshire.

The Gemini Accident Repair Centres, which runs a network of vehicle bodyshops, has acquired space for its first South Wales repair centre, which should be open for business at some point in December 2013, a news report in the local media has revealed. Founded in 2008, Gemini currently has centres in Bristol, Tewkesbury in Gloucestershire, Halesown in the West Midlands, Redditch in Worcestershire and Telford in Shropshire.

The levels of economic confidence among Welsh companies has been on a very positive trend throughout the whole of October, a brand new BDO Business Trend report has revealed.

Sapa Profiles UK, specialist aluminium business Sapa’s aluminium extrusion unit, has recently announced proposals to close its plant at Bedwas in Caerphilly county borough, a move that will put 132 positions in jeopardy. According to a news report in the local business media, the company will start a consultation period with employees and unions at the factory in which the plan would be explained and alternatives to closure would be explored.

Welsh SMEs located in the seven Welsh enterprise zones will get a two per cent reduction in interest charged on new loans from Finance Wales, thus helping them invest in further development, a news report in the local business media has revealed.

Rising cost of labour and building materials could pose a serious threat to the recovery of the Welsh building segment, the Federation of Master Builders (FMB) has warned. According to a media news report, there was a positive net balance for workloads across member organisations in the third quarter of 2013, but salaries and material costs are also predicted to continue rising over the next six months, which could have a knock-on effect on prices.

The Jenkins Bakery, who was established by David and Elizabeth Jenkins in Llanelli in 1921, is set to invest £350,000 into expanding part of its manufacturing operations in order to cope with the superior level of demand brought on by the four new stores is plans to open over 2014. Currently managed by the 3’rd generation of the same family, the bakery employs about 300 staff across 27 shops in Swansea, Ammanford, Llanelli, Burry Port and Skewen, just to name a few.

Neath town centre is set to undergo some major changes as part of an ambitious redevelopment plan, that will also include a new retail development and a multi-storey car park, a news report in the local media has revealed. A planning application for the area has now been submitted by the authority, while work to demolish some council-owned buildings in the area has already happened, with construction work set to start in earnest towards the end of January.