The Southampton area supplied almost ten per cent of the region’s top 500 companies according to a new list published this week.

Taylor Made Computer Solutions Top 500 Companies in the South report, which includes 42 businesses in the Southampton area, paints a picture of cautious optimism tempered with uncertainty.

The report shows that the listed companies in the region pulled in a combined turnover of £20.9 billion during 2015 up a billion on the previous year.

In the Echo area a dozen of the 42 have seen their turnovers fall on 2014.

Tim Walker, managing director of Taylor Made Computer Solutions, which commissioned the report, said the figures represented an “amber warning” for the economy.

“These results make fascinating reading, and show a very uncertain pattern across the region,” he said “I’d still describe the mood in the south as one of cautious optimism, and there is evidence that the recovery is continuing, but the pattern of growth is more inconsistent than we would prefer.

“I would say these results are an amber rather than red light for the economy.

"That said, it is almost impossible to overestimate the impact that these huge companies have on the region.

“They provide thousands of jobs and contribute billions of pounds to the region each year, ensuring that the south continues to be rightly seen as a great place to live, work and do business.”

Excluding those which moved away because they were acquired, 21 of the companies which appeared in the last Top 500 have relocated away from the region.

Two went to Peterborough, but the majority, including Amazon, Yoplait, PLB Group, Halliburton, Aker Subsea, moved their head offices to London.

The Top 500 companies collectively Spent £285m with accountants for audit, taxation and other services.

Increased staff numbers by 2.6 per cent to a collective total of 2.85 million people.

Paid £61.8 billion in salaries before national insurance contributions, a 3.1 per cent increase.