Figures released by the Finance & Leasing Association (FLA) show that new business in the consumer car finance market grew one percent by volume and four percent by value in December 2018.
The point-of-sale consumer new car finance market reported new business volumes in December four percent lower than in the same month in 2017, while the value of new business held steady.
The percentage of private new car sales financed by FLA members through the POS was 91.2 percent in the twelve months to December 2018, unchanged compared with the year to November.
The POS consumer used car finance market reported new business growth in December of five percent by volume and nine percent by value compared with the same month in 2017.
Commenting on the figures, Geraldine Kilkelly, head of research and chief economist at the FLA, said: “The point-of-sale consumer car finance market grew in 2018 in line with expectations, with new business volumes three percent higher than in 2017.
“The market is likely to report stable new business volumes in 2019 as a whole if there is a reduction in the current uncertainty about the economic outlook.”