Bank of England's deputy governor optimistic over growth According to a confidence index from Grant Thornton, UK expectations for investing in manufacturing over the next year are up 5pc in the third quarter, compared to a 6pc drop globally. There has also been a 10pc increase in UK firms planning to offer staff a pay rise this year, compared to a 10pc drop in Germany, the US and China, the business report, covering the three months to October, revealed. Elsewhere, a survey from Lloyds TSB shows business confidence regarding the wider economy rose in October to the highest level since April 2012. The improvement in economic prospects appears to tally with the recent easing of the euro crisis and the launch of the "funding for lending" UK scheme, according to the bank.