F&I Management & Training

The Bank of England has held UK interest rates at a record low of 0.5% for another month. The size of the Bank's economic stimulus programme - quantitative easing - was also unchanged at £375bn. Debate over the timing of a rate rise has intensified, with Bank governor Mark Carney hinting recently that it could come by the end of this year.
http://bbc.in/1oiqUl7

ANOTHER JUMP IN HOUSE PRICES

UK house prices in July were up 10.2% from a year earlier, the biggest annual change since September 2007, according to the Halifax. The lender said that property prices grew by 3.6% in the three months to the end of July compared with the previous quarter.
http://bbc.in/1ovSuFq

PENDRAGON READY TO START EXPANDING

Pendragon has continued to grow revenue and profit in the first six months of the year and says it is now ready to start expanding again.

The group saw underlying operating profit increased by £7.8 million in the period, an increase of 19.4% on the prior year. Net debt has been reduced to £105.7m, which is under the group’s target range for its debt to underlying earnings ratio.
http://bit.ly/1lvdDje

Coming up

On Wednesday, Lookers will present investors with its half-year financial results to the end of June and update investors on any board changes since the departure of Peter Jones. The group has previously said it has had a strong start to the year and results should be ahead of the prior period.

Also on Wednesday, the latest employment market statistics will be made available by the Office for National Statistics. Last month UK unemployment fell by 121,000 to 2.12 million in the three months to May. The figure is the lowest level in nearly six years.

On Thursday, leading service plan provider EMaC is celebrating its 10^th anniversary with an evening event for staff and friends near its headquarters in Crewe. The company has grown to be the best established provider in the industry.

DATED: 11.08.2014

FEED: ARN