6:52 am, June 20, 2025
Consumer confidence up in June amid ‘dark shadow’ of inflation and war
Consumer confidence improved marginally in June despite the ‘dark shadow’ of inflation and turmoil in the Middle East, figures show.
GfK’s long-running Consumer Confidence Index rose two points but remains firmly in negative territory at minus 18.
Confidence in the general economy over the coming year rose five points, driving the improvement, but still remains at minus 28 – 17 points worse than last June.
UK interest rates kept on hold with Bank alert to ‘highly unpredictable’ world
UK interest rates have been left on hold as the Bank of England said it was keeping watch on a “highly unpredictable” world amid rising energy prices.
The Bank’s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) decided to keep rates unchanged at 4.25%.
In a split vote, with six members opting to hold and three preferring to cut, the MPC said a “gradual and careful approach” to reducing borrowing costs continued to be the right course of action.
Volkswagen Transporter Kombi and Shuttle variants go on sale priced from £42,220
Volkswagen has revealed that the Transporter Kombi and Shuttle variants have gone on sale priced from £42,220.
The Transporter Kombi features a five-seater layout, but there is the option to add an extra seat to turn the vehicle into a more practical six-seater. Meanwhile, the Shuttle comes with eight seats, with the option to increase this to nine.
The only engine choice is a 108bhp 2.0-litre diesel; the Kombi starts at £42,220 and the Shuttle is priced from £48,775, both VAT inclusive.
The markets
London’s FTSE 100 closed lower on Thursday amid ongoing Middle East concerns, after the Bank of England left interest rates unchanged at 4.25%.
The FTSE 100 index closed down 51.67 points, 0.6%, at 8,791.80. The FTSE 250 ended 216.27 points lower, 1.0%, at 21,073.99, and the AIM All-Share fell 5.17 points, 0.7%, at 758.19.
The pound was quoted down at 1.3429 dollars at the time of the London equities close on Thursday, compared with 1.3472 dollars on Wednesday.
Lammy to meet Iranian foreign minister as Trump steps back from military action
David Lammy will travel to Geneva on Friday for talks with the Iranian foreign minister and European allies as the UK presses for a diplomatic solution to the Israel-Iran conflict.
The foreign secretary is set to meet Abbas Araghchi alongside his counterparts from France, Germany and the EU as he seeks to negotiate a settlement before US president Donald Trump decides on whether to take military action against Tehran.
In a statement read by his press secretary on Thursday, Trump said there was still ‘a substantial chance of negotiations’ and said he would make a decision on deploying US forces ‘within the next two weeks’.
MPs switch sides to vote no to ‘drastically weakened’ assisted dying Bill
Four MPs have confirmed they are switching their vote on the assisted dying Bill from yes to no, branding it ‘drastically weakened’.
Labour’s Paul Foster, Jonathan Hinder, Markus Campbell-Savours and Kanishka Narayan wrote to fellow MPs to voice concerns about the safety of the proposed legislation.
The letter comes on the eve of a crucial vote on Friday which would see the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill either clear the House of Commons and move to the Lords, or fall completely.
Thursday on Car Dealer
Perrys halts negative trends as dealer group posts first improved profits since 2021
Perrys posted a £2.61m pre-tax profit in 2024, a 37% rise despite lower revenue. Improved margins and rising used car volumes drove gains. Directors praised strong aftersales, new franchise additions, and staff-focused initiatives aimed at long-term growth and retention.
Waylands’ Vicky Hart announced as first guest for Car Dealer Podcast Live show
The Car Dealer Podcast Live is back in September and we can now reveal that our first guest on the show will be Waylands head of marketing and digital Vicky Hart.
Family-run Holden Group opens new Renault-Dacia dealership at former Volvo site
Holden Group has opened a new Renault and Dacia dealership in King’s Lynn on a former Volvo site. The move expands its Norfolk footprint, creates local jobs, and brings more choice to West Norfolk car buyers with a focus on service.
Motors reports significant growth in Market Check tool as over 2,000 dealers sign up
Motors, the leading used car marketplace, has announced a significant increase in dealer sign-ups and active user engagement in its Market Check tool, which is powered by Percayso.
Weather
Today will be hot, humid, and mostly sunny across the UK, with isolated showers in the southwest moving north, possibly bringing thunder, reports BBC Weather. Highs of 30 degrees.
Tonight will be clear, dry, and muggy, with some cloud in northern Scotland and western areas, and the chance of an isolated shower. It’ll be warm with overnight temperatures of 20 degrees.
