6:50 am, August 15, 2025
UK economic growth slows to 0.3% in second quarter of 2025
Growth in the UK economy slowed in the second quarter of this year amid pressure from tariff uncertainty and tax increases, new official figures show.
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said gross domestic product (GDP) grew by 0.3% for the quarter after 0.7% growth in the first three months of the year.
However, the figure was stronger than the 0.1% level widely expected by economists after an uptick in activity in June and revised data for earlier in the quarter.
Aviva share price highest since 2007 after profit jumps by a fifth
Insurance giant Aviva has said its profits surged by a fifth over the first half of 2025, sending its share price to the highest level since before the 2008 financial crisis.
The latest results come as it said its tie-up with rival Direct Line was ‘well under way’.
The company reported an operating profit of £1.1bn for the first six months of 2025. This was an increase of 22% compared with the same period a year ago.
Rolls-Royce Cullinan Series II gets Urban Automotive makeover
The Rolls Royce Cullinan Series II has been given a modified makeover from the team at Urban Automotive.
Urban Automotive is a British firm that specialises in luxury vehicle modifications.
The Urban Rolls Royce Cullinan Series II receives Widetrack wheel arch extensions, which are finished off in carbon fibre, 26-inch forged polished alloy wheels, a carbon fibre bonnet, restyled front and rear bumpers, aluminium exhaust tips and upper and mid-level rear spoilers finished off in carbon fibre.
Stocks mixed despite GDP surprise amid hot US producer price inflation
The FTSE 100 struggled for direction on Thursday, weighing better-than-expected UK growth figures and a surprise pick-up in producer price inflation across the pond.
The FTSE 100 index closed up 12.01 points, 0.1%, at 9,177.24, with the FTSE 250 ending down 49.89 points, 0.2%, at 21,801.67.
Meanwhile, in Europe, the CAC 40 in Paris rose 0.7%, while the DAX 40 in Frankfurt advanced 0.8%.
Thursday on Car Dealer
Government defends its Electric Car Grant after it fails to shift out of first gear
One month after the UK’s Electric Car Grant launch, no EV qualifies for the full £3,750 discount. Only 17 models get £1,500, causing sales delays and dealer frustration. Strict sustainability rules exclude many manufacturers, prompting calls for a simpler, broader incentive scheme.
Family-owned Lloyd Motor Group nears £1bn turnover as pre-tax profit falls 14%
Lloyd Motor Group’s 2024 turnover rose 7.9% to £939.8m, edging toward £1bn, but pre-tax profit fell 14.6% to £17.6m. The firm expanded with multiple acquisitions, citing challenging conditions but aiming for strong profitability in 2025.
Luxury dealer group H.R. Owen opens high-end Lotus showroom opposite the Ritz
H.R. Owen has opened a flagship Lotus showroom in Mayfair, opposite the Ritz Hotel. Spanning two floors, it offers the full Lotus range, VIP lounge, personalisation services, and digital configuration, strengthening the dealer’s luxury presence alongside existing Lotus sites.
Bumper investment: Repair finance firm bags £8m backing from automotive heavyweights
Bumper closed its Series B round with £8m, bringing total funding to £20m. Backed by Suzuki, Porsche, Shell, JLR, and others, it will launch Bumper Pro and AutoBI, expand in Europe, and scale operations, targeting £1bn GMV in 2025.
Motorway changes online auction times to ‘better align with dealer business hours’
Motorway has shifted its auction start time from 7pm to 4.30pm, ending at 3.30pm the next day. The change lets dealers access two auctions within one working day, offering up to 2,000 cars each and improving operational flexibility.
Record A-level results but concerns raised about ‘entrenched’ regional divides
A-level grades have exposed stark divides in results between regions, prompting fears about “entrenched” inequalities across England.
While the overall proportion of entries awarded top grades rose again this year – remaining above pre-pandemic highs – a breakdown shows attainment gaps are widening across some areas of the country.
North-east England saw just 22.9% of entries awarded an A or A* grade this year, a record 9.2 percentage points behind London (32.1%), and the only region to see a lower figure than in the pre-pandemic year of 2019.
Starmer could attend second US-Russia meeting on ending Ukraine war, says Trump
European leaders including Sir Keir Starmer could attend a second meeting with Donald Trump, Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelensky which could bring the war in Ukraine to an end, the US president has said.
On the eve of the summit, Mr Trump said leaders from Europe, which could include members of the so-called ‘coalition of the willing’ that have supported Ukraine, could attend a subsequent meeting if the event in Alaska on Friday is successful.
The Prime Minister has been a key player in the group which has also included French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz.
Weather outlook…
The UK will today enjoy a predominantly sunny and pleasant day.
Daytime temperatures will reach around 22 °C (72 °F), with overnight lows dipping to about 15–16 °C (59–60 °F).
Expect clear skies and a comfortable summer day nationwide.
