Growth in asset finance new business (primarily leasing and hire purchase) for the UK remained stable towards the end of last year as the industry prepared to make a record year.
New figures released by the Finance & Leasing Association (FLA) for November show that plant and machinery finance and business equipment finance sectors grew 9% and 8% respectively compared to the same period last year.
Overall growth was slowed because finance demand for business cars and IT equipment fell by 6% and 32% over the same period.
Geraldine Kilkelly, head of research and chief economist at the FLA, said: “The asset finance market’s performance in November means the industry remains on track to report a record level of new business in 2018 as a whole.
“The percentage of UK investment in machinery, equipment and purchased software financed by FLA members reached 32.2% in the twelve months to September 2018, a nine-year high.”
Source: Asset Finance International