UK leasing business volume was up 6% year-on-year in the second quarter of 2013 to £5.75bn (€6.68bn), according to the latest figures from the Finance & Leasing Association (FLA).

When high-value deals in excess of £20m are excluded, the total for the three months to 30 June is £5.57bn. Total new business transacted in June was up 3% year-on-year to £2.03bn, £1.87bn excluding high value.

Much of the growth in volume was in the plant and machinery, commercial vehicle, IT equipment and business equipment sectors, which collectively grew 15% in the second quarter, compared to the same period in 2012.

IT equipment finance in particular grew 32% year-on-year in the quarter, while the business equipment sector grew 26%, to £1.83bn, and 20% in June, to £222m.

Plant and machinery finance was up 21% in June to £428m, while commercial vehicle finance grew 13% compared to the previous June to £463m, and was up 10% for the quarter to £1.23bn.

Julian Rose, head of Asset Finance at the FLA, said: "New investment in business equipment is a good indicator of future business growth, so these figures augur well for SME sales growth and employment trends over the rest of 2013."

How well do you really know your competitors?

Access the most comprehensive Company Profiles on the market, powered by GlobalData. Save hours of research. Gain competitive edge.

Company Profile – free sample

Thank you!

Your download email will arrive shortly

Not ready to buy yet? Download a free sample

We are confident about the unique quality of our Company Profiles. However, we want you to make the most beneficial decision for your business, so we offer a free sample that you can download by submitting the below form

By GlobalData
Visit our Privacy Policy for more information about our services, how we may use, process and share your personal data, including information of your rights in respect of your personal data and how you can unsubscribe from future marketing communications. Our services are intended for corporate subscribers and you warrant that the email address submitted is your corporate email address.

The figures mean the new business volume for the first half of 2013 was £10.69bn, down 0.4% on the first-half volume in 2012, while the figure for the 12 months to 30 June 2013 was £21.43bn, 1% below the figure for the previous 12 months.