Welcome 2009

So here I am, sat up late on the 1st, tired after having greeted the New Year with its traditional hangover and I find myself reviewing the previous twelve months and wondering what the coming year will bring.

Financial Stress

If the papers are to be believed, it’s a worrying time. All too often I’m hearing about big business closures and huge job losses throughout the country. The media are frequently moving away from the term recession and are now suggesting (much to Mr Darling’s dismay) that we’re heading for an economic depression. Friends from both small and large businesses have seen redundancy in recent months and I’ve lost a few colleagues too.

Food and energy prices have soared, the pound’s weak and even the most affluent of my friends are tightening their belts in the midst of the current uncertainty.

2009 is set to be an economically challenging year both personally and nationally. However, challenge stimulates both people and markets and this undoubtedly means many positives will arise from the situation. New business will develop, as will new opportunity. The cost of energy alone is allowing one friend of mine to attract investment in his sustainable and renewable energy technologies.

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