Significant gains for leasing - leasing share of investment surpasses the 20% mark

The expansion of leasing investment in 2000 was stronger than expected. As the most recent Ifo investment survey of German leasing companies shows, new business increased by 9.2%. For 2001, the firms expect an increase of ca. 5%. In 2000/2001 the industry gained remarkably high market shares. The leasing quota (leasing share of investment excluding real estate) increased from 15.5% to 16.7%; in west Germany it surpassed 20%. This brought the leasing quota much closer to the leading countries in the industry, the United States and England. According to current investment forecasts, overall investment in Germany will stagnate, at best, in 2002. Leasing, especially in movable property, will still maintain its expansive course. The rate of expansion could match that of 2001, which would be a renewed strong increase in the leasing quota.