• Barclays’ Q1 2026 Business Prosperity Index showed 85% of UK businesses remain confident despite 80% citing a negative Middle East conflict impact.
• Geopolitical uncertainty prompted 20% to pause overall investment, despite 54% planning to increase investment over the next 12 months.
• Cybersecurity spend is set to rise, with 68% expecting higher investment, while only 29% feel prepared for a major cyber incident.
• Technology adoption is seen as raising risk exposure, with 46% saying new tools increase cybersecurity risk.
• AI use is accelerating, with 61% using agentic AI; cloud, cyber, and AI account for 44% of planned tech budgets.

Disclaimer: This news brief was created by Public Technologies (PUBT) using generative artificial intelligence. While PUBT strives to provide accurate and timely information, this AI-generated content is for informational purposes only and should not be interpreted as financial, investment, or legal advice. Barclays plc published the original content used to generate this news brief on May 27, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained therein.