Asset finance market kicks off 2018 with new business growth

21 March 2018

New figures released today by the Finance & Leasing Association (FLA) show that asset finance new business (primarily leasing and hire purchase) for deals of up to £20 million grew by 4% in January, compared with the same month last year. Including high value deals, new business increased by 3% over the same period.

The plant and machinery finance and business equipment finance sectors each reported new business up in January by 8% compared with the same month in 2017, while new finance for commercial vehicles fell by 4% over the same period.

Commenting on the figures, Geraldine Kilkelly, Head of Research and Chief Economist at the FLA, said:

“The asset finance market made a positive start to 2018 with further solid growth in new finance for plant and machinery and business equipment. In particular, new business for agricultural equipment in January was 21% higher than in the same month in 2017.

“We expect asset finance new business growth in 2018 as a whole to be at a similar rate to 2017.”

Jan 2018

% change on prev. year

3 months to Jan

2018

% change on prev. year

12 months to Jan

2018

% change on prev. year

Total FLA asset finance (£m)

2,337

+3

7,523

+3

31,842

+5

Total excluding high value (£m)

2,131

+4

6,926

+2

30,038

+6

Data Extracts:

By asset:

Plant and machinery finance (£m)

509

+8

1,520

+4

6,654

+11

Commercial vehicle finance (£m)

480

-4

1,748

-4

7,462

0

IT equipment finance (£m)

133

+29

663

+14

2,315

+3

Business equipment finance (£m)

191

+8

633

+5

2,596

+7

Car finance (£m)

608

-2

1,928

-2

9,493

+4

Aircraft, ships and rolling stock finance (£m)

28

-14

71

-36

545

+24

By channel:

Direct finance (£m)

1,066

0

3,326

-3

15,047

+3

Broker-introduced finance (£m)

442

+8

1,444

+12

5,690

+11

Sales finance (£m)

622

+10

2,155

+3

9,301

+7

By product:

Finance leasing (£m)

246

0

939

-1

3,809

+6

Operating leasing (£m)

425

-2

1,519

-3

6,744

+1

Lease/Hire purchase (£m)

1,166

0

3,763

0

16,907

+6

Other finance (£m)

359

+10

826

+7

3,313

-3

Note to editors:

  1. In 2017, FLA members provided £128 billion of new finance to UK businesses and households. £32 billion of finance was provided to businesses and the public sector. FLA members financed more than a third of UK investment in machinery, equipment and purchased software in the UK in 2017.
  2. For media enquiries, please contact the FLA press office on 020 7420 9656.

Original Article

Leave a comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *