A survey which gauged the views of 116 chief financial officers, including FTSE 100 companies and FTSE 250 companies, shows that optimism is close to a three-year high, according to Deloitte.

For the first time since 2011 expansion is a higher priority for CFOs than cutting costs and building up cash, it found. Some 29 per cent of CFOs said that reducing costs is a strong priority for their business, with 35 per cent saying the same about increasing cash flow, down from a peak of 49 per cent in the fourth quarter of 2012.

A spokesperson for Deloitte was unable to confirm whether any specific UK-listed banks were involved in the report, although a number are listed on the London Stock Exchange, such as Lloyds Banking Group, HSBC, Royal Bank of Scotland, Barclays and Standard Chartered. Even so, the findings may suggest that even banks, which have seen their fortunes hit hard by the 2008 market crash, might be turning a corner.

The report said 40 per cent of CFOs say that introducing new products and services or expanding into new markets is a strong priority while expectations for hiring, capital expenditure and discretionary spending in the coming 12 months are also at a three-year high. Some 54 per cent of CFOs said that now is a good time to take risk on their balance sheets, up from 45 per cent in Q2 and the highest level recorded in six years.