THE strong pound has hit 95 per cent of the country's large businesses, according to a survey today from the British Chambers of Commerce. Sterling has risen by more than 14 per cent since last summer - although it slipped a bit on the foreign exchanges today.

The report comes a day after electric cable firm Critchley became the latest in a growing line of major companies to fall victim to the pound, joining British Steel, Guinness, Smith & Nephew and Commercial Union.