Asset finance market increases by 8% in July

10th September 2018 Commercial Credit Management |

New figures released by the Finance & Leasing Association (FLA) show that asset finance new business (primarily leasing and hire purchase) overall grew in July by 8% compared with the same month last year. New business for deals of up to £20 million increased by 10% over the same period. The IT equipment finance and…

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SMEs supported with £15m funding through alternative finance referral scheme

3rd September 2018 Commercial Credit Management |

The Government-backed Bank Referral Scheme since the scheme which was launched in November 2016 means that small businesses have been able to source more than £15 million in funding. The scheme allows small businesses rejected by high street lenders to source alternative finance through the referral scheme. The scheme has enable financial support to nearly 19,000 small…

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Manufacturing lending increases by 7%

24th August 2018 Commercial Credit Management |

UK Finance has published its July Business Finance update indicating that lending to manufacturers grew by 7.1 per cent in the last 12 months, in contrast to a wider 2.2 per cent contraction overall in UK business borrowing.   Whilst K business deposits for non-financial companies grew by 1.9 per cent in the last 12 months. Commenting…

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Asset finance new business decreased by 3% in June

15th August 2018 Commercial Credit Management |

New figures released by the Finance & Leasing Association (FLA) show that asset finance new business (primarily leasing and hire purchase) fell in June by 3% compared with the same month in 2017, but grew by 5% in the second quarter of 2018 as a whole. The commercial vehicle finance and IT equipment finance sectors…

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Third of small firms say new credit is unaffordable

2nd August 2018 Commercial Credit Management |

Small firms are finding it increasingly costly to raise new finance, according to the latest research from the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB). The findings were announced ahead of a Bank of England (BoE) decision to raise interest rates to 0.75% Four in ten (42%) small firms describe new credit as ‘unaffordable’ in Q3 2018,…

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Lending to manufacturers grows by 9.2%

25th July 2018 Commercial Credit Management |

UK Finance has published its latest business lending figures for June. Key data highlights include: Lending to manufacturers grew by 9.2 per cent in the last 12 months, in contrast to a wider 1.8 per cent contraction overall in UK business borrowing. UK business deposits for non-financial companies grew by 2.3 per cent in the…

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Consumer car finance market increases by 9% in May

9th July 2018 Consumer Collections |

New figures released by the Finance & Leasing Association (FLA) show that new business in the point of sale (POS) consumer new car finance market grew 15% by value and 10% by volume in May, compared with the same month in 2017. The percentage of private new car sales financed by FLA members through the…

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Leasing sector needs to become more agile

The leasing sector needs to become more agile to meet the needs of an increasingly important and ‘entitled’ SME sector. This is the observation from financial software experts Copernicus’ MD Allen Jones reflecting upon a cultural and technical change that is emerging rapidly in the business community. “While there has been much written and reported about…

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Hitachi Capital acquires Franchise Finance

28th June 2018 Mergers and Acquisitions |

Hitachi Capital UK has announced it has acquired of Franchise Finance, a specialist financial services provider to the franchising industry. The transaction boosts Hitachi Capital UK’s lending base to SMEs and franchisees, bringing considerable senior consultancy experience to the Group and helping to build a profitable portfolio within an underserved market. The acquisition also enables…

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UK businesses have lost out financially since Brexit vote

22nd June 2018 Commercial Credit Management |

An independent study commissioned by Dun & Bradstreet reveals a UK business community that believes it has already lost out due to the EU referendum. When asked how the Brexit process has affected business finances, 43% of business leaders say they have felt a negative financial impact since the Brexit vote. More than a third…

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Number of new loans to SMEs increases

18th June 2018 Commercial Credit Management |

The Number of new loans to SMEs has increased in Quarter 1 according to new figures from UK Finance Commenting on the data, Stephen Pegge, Managing Director, Commercial at UK Finance said “The number of new approved loans to SMEs grew slightly in the first quarter of the year, driven in part by increased demand…

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Asset finance falls by 5% in March

New figures released by the Finance & Leasing Association (FLA) show that asset finance new business (primarily leasing and hire purchase) fell by 5% in March, compared with the same month last year, and by 3% in Q1 2018 overall. New finance for business equipment grew in March by 13% compared with the same month…

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FCA clarifies credit and hire definitions

20th April 2018 Consumer Collections |

The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has announced changes to the definition of income between consumer hire leases and consumer credit after a response to its consultation. In December of last year, the FCA made a call for leasing businesses to respond to the regulator. Under the current rule, FCA fees for regulated credit agreements such…

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