Luxury UK car makers hit by ‘multiple geopolitical headwinds'
Luxury, high-performance and niche UK car makers face challenges which 'threaten competitiveness and growth', according to a report.
The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) said companies such as Aston Martin, McLaren and Morgan are having to cope with volatile trading conditions, decarbonisation rules and production cost pressures.
The study found the total turnover of the UK's high-value, small-volume manufacturers in 2024 was more than £5.5 billion, with around nine in 10 of their vehicles shipped overseas.
They were responsible for just 4% of the UK's car production, but accounted for 12% of its value.
In excess of 15,000 people are employed in high-skilled, well-paid jobs by the companies, the SMMT found.
The report stated: 'The UK's small volume manufacturers face a series of challenges … (which) threaten competitiveness and growth.'
SMMT chief executive Mike Hawes said: 'Britain's luxury, performance and niche vehicle makers are exemplars of automotive design, engineering and manufacturing – and a quintessential British success story.
'Government rightly recognises the importance of these high-value and iconic brands to the UK economy and, amid multiple geopolitical headwinds, the industry is looking to work together to ensure the sector can not just survive but thrive.
'A successful sector would deliver the economic growth, well-paid jobs and exports that Government craves, helping keep Britain firmly on the global automotive map.'
Industry minister Sarah Jones, said: 'Our luxury automotive manufacturers are iconic British brands recognised worldwide, and this report rightly highlights the huge contribution they make to the UK economy.
'We're ensuring our carmakers go from strength to strength as we deliver our Plan for Change, and we've already secured landmark trade deals with the US and India, which will cut tariffs for the sector and create new export opportunities.
'Our modern industrial strategy will set out a long-term plan to support our manufacturers, including by creating the right conditions for increased investment, bringing growth, jobs and opportunities to every part of the UK.'
The UK-US trade deal was confirmed in a call between Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and US President Donald Trump on May 8.
It included American tariffs on UK cars being 10% for the first 100,000 vehicles exported.
Mr Trump had previously set the tariff rate on car exports to the US at 27.5%.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
33 minutes ago
- Yahoo
PA House passes bill requiring American-made steel in tax-payer funded projects
HARRISBURG, Pa. (WHTM) — The Pennsylvania House of Representatives passed a bill Monday requiring American-made steel for all tax-payer funded projects. State law already requires government projects to use American-made steel. However, H.B. 1018 would extend this requirement to private entities receiving public funds or tax incentives. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now 'This is one way to bring back good-paying, family-sustaining jobs – by leveling the playing field for hardworking people and industries that were economically steamrolled by unfair competition,' said Rep. Frank Burns (D-Cambria), who sponsored the bill. The bill, which is a part of Burns' larger 'American Made Jobs Plan,' passed the House 200-2. It will now move to the Senate for concurrence. Mexican aluminum, steel exporters say sales in US down 63% due to tariffs The bill comes as tariffs have driven down the demand for foreign-made steel. In February, President Donald Trump ordered a 25% tariff on Mexican and Canadian steel and aluminum imports. Exporters of Mexican steel and aluminum said that has led to a 63% drop in sales to the United States. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Institutions profited after AUTO1 Group SE's (ETR:AG1) market cap rose €259m last week but retail investors profited the most
Significant control over AUTO1 Group by retail investors implies that the general public has more power to influence management and governance-related decisions A total of 11 investors have a majority stake in the company with 51% ownership 34% of AUTO1 Group is held by Institutions Trump has pledged to "unleash" American oil and gas and these 15 US stocks have developments that are poised to benefit. Every investor in AUTO1 Group SE (ETR:AG1) should be aware of the most powerful shareholder groups. And the group that holds the biggest piece of the pie are retail investors with 44% ownership. That is, the group stands to benefit the most if the stock rises (or lose the most if there is a downturn). While retail investors were the group that reaped the most benefits after last week's 5.0% price gain, institutions also received a 34% cut. Let's delve deeper into each type of owner of AUTO1 Group, beginning with the chart below. Check out our latest analysis for AUTO1 Group Many institutions measure their performance against an index that approximates the local market. So they usually pay more attention to companies that are included in major indices. We can see that AUTO1 Group does have institutional investors; and they hold a good portion of the company's stock. This implies the analysts working for those institutions have looked at the stock and they like it. But just like anyone else, they could be wrong. If multiple institutions change their view on a stock at the same time, you could see the share price drop fast. It's therefore worth looking at AUTO1 Group's earnings history below. Of course, the future is what really matters. Our data indicates that hedge funds own 13% of AUTO1 Group. That's interesting, because hedge funds can be quite active and activist. Many look for medium term catalysts that will drive the share price higher. Cadian Capital Management, LP is currently the largest shareholder, with 13% of shares outstanding. Hkvv GmbH is the second largest shareholder owning 9.1% of common stock, and Coronation Fund Managers Limited holds about 5.0% of the company stock. After doing some more digging, we found that the top 11 have the combined ownership of 51% in the company, suggesting that no single shareholder has significant control over the company. Researching institutional ownership is a good way to gauge and filter a stock's expected performance. The same can be achieved by studying analyst sentiments. There are plenty of analysts covering the stock, so it might be worth seeing what they are forecasting, too. The definition of an insider can differ slightly between different countries, but members of the board of directors always count. Management ultimately answers to the board. However, it is not uncommon for managers to be executive board members, especially if they are a founder or the CEO. I generally consider insider ownership to be a good thing. However, on some occasions it makes it more difficult for other shareholders to hold the board accountable for decisions. Our data cannot confirm that board members are holding shares personally. It is unusual not to have at least some personal holdings by board members, so our data might be flawed. A good next step would be to check how much the CEO is paid. With a 44% ownership, the general public, mostly comprising of individual investors, have some degree of sway over AUTO1 Group. While this group can't necessarily call the shots, it can certainly have a real influence on how the company is run. It seems that Private Companies own 9.1%, of the AUTO1 Group stock. It's hard to draw any conclusions from this fact alone, so its worth looking into who owns those private companies. Sometimes insiders or other related parties have an interest in shares in a public company through a separate private company. While it is well worth considering the different groups that own a company, there are other factors that are even more important. For instance, we've identified 3 warning signs for AUTO1 Group (2 make us uncomfortable) that you should be aware of. If you would prefer discover what analysts are predicting in terms of future growth, do not miss this free report on analyst forecasts. NB: Figures in this article are calculated using data from the last twelve months, which refer to the 12-month period ending on the last date of the month the financial statement is dated. This may not be consistent with full year annual report figures. Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
These CEOs plan to invest billions in 'Trump accounts,' government savings plans for newborns
Several CEOs plan to invest in Trump's investment accounts for babies, the White House said. The CEOs of Uber, Goldman Sachs, and Dell appeared at the White House to promote "Trump Accounts." Dell said it would match the government's $1,000 contributions for children of its employees. The White House is ready to usher in a new generation of boss babies — and it's enlisting the help of some of America's most prominent executives. A small crowd of CEOs joined President Donald Trump at the White House for a roundtable on Monday to promote his plan to deposit $1,000 in investment accounts for newborn babies. The program is part of the president's signature — and controversial — spending bill, which has passed the House but faces headwinds in the Senate after getting publicly bashed by Elon Musk. The CEOs who attended the roundtable included Dell Technologies CEO Michael Dell, Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi, and Goldman Sachs CEO David Solomon. A White House official confirmed to Business Insider ahead of the event that under the program, the executives would announce plans to invest billions of dollars worth of collective investments into Trump Accounts for their employees' future children. With the exception of Dell, it was not immediately clear how much each company plans to invest if the initiative becomes law, and the companies did not specify when contacted by BI. Dell said in a statement provided to BI that the company would match the government's $1,000 investment for the children of its employees. "The creation of investment accounts for every child will compound into substantial nest eggs providing support for education, home ownership, and starting families," the CEO said. Other corporate leaders who attended the event on Monday afternoon included Robinhood CEO Vladimir Tenev, Salesforce cofounder Parker Harris, Altimeter Capital CEO Brad Gerstner, Arm Holdings CEO Rene Haas, and ServiceNow CEO William McDermott. "This is a pro-family initiative that will help millions of Americans harness the strength of our economy to lift up the next generation, and they'll really be getting a big jump on life," Trump said during his prepared remarks at the start of the roundtable. Trump Accounts would be available to every American citizen born from January 1, 2025, and December 31, 2028, according to the bill. Under the program, if the bill in its current form passes and is signed into law, the federal government would invest $1,000 into an index fund that tracks the stock market. The child's guardians will control the account. Guardians could deposit up to $5,000 a year into the account, which the child could access once they're 18. In a statement to BI, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said that passing the president's spending bill, called the "One Big Beautiful Bill," and the associated Trump Accounts "will put the lives of young Americans on the right financial path!" BI reached out to the companies of the CEOs who attended the roundtable. In their remarks at the event and statements provided to BI, the CEOs emphasized that the investment accounts would set the next generation up for success by giving them a financial head-start. "Our economy's future vitality is dependent on young people understanding the power of investing for the long term," Solomon, CEO of Goldman Sachs, said during the roundtable. "The American stock market is among the greatest wealth creation engines of our time," Tenev, the Robinhood CEO, said in a statement. "Speaking personally, as an immigrant to this country, I've seen firsthand the vast opportunities afforded by our financial system." A representative for ServiceNow said in a statement: "This is more than policy — it's about unlocking a future where more Americans can own, build, and thrive." Monday afternoon's investments are another example of the Trump administration's close ties to the private sector. The administration has also secured hundreds of millions of dollars in pro bono work from major law firms for causes the administration supports. Read the original article on Business Insider
