WASHINGTON, Oct. 11, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Investment in equipment and software is projected to expand 4.3 percent in 2017 according to the Q4 update to the 2017 Equipment Leasing & Finance U.S. Economic Outlook released today by the Equipment Leasing & Finance Foundation. The new investment growth estimate, revised upward from 3.6 percent in the Q3 Outlook, is driven by the combination of continued elevated business confidence, a recovering oil sector, and the release of pent-up demand following lackluster investment growth in 2016. The report predicts that equipment and software investment will improve significantly from last year’s performance, even as uncertainties relating to tax and trade policy, along with heightened geopolitical tensions, create a mix of opportunities and risks. The Foundation’s report, which is focused on the $1 trillion equipment leasing and finance industry, highlights key trends in equipment investment and places them in the context of the broader U.S. economic climate.
Ralph Petta, President of the Foundation and President and CEO of the Equipment Leasing and Finance Association, said, “Continued strong fundamentals in the U.S. economy together with low interest rates and an optimistic business sector provide the ingredients for a vibrant, healthy equipment finance industry in 2017. Despite Washington policy makers’ inability to coalesce around major initiatives designed to spur economic growth even further, equipment finance professionals in a variety of markets report strong and stable origination volume. Certain distressed industry sectors are slowly recovering, giving rise to a positive outlook for the remainder of the year.”
Highlights from the study include:
The Foundation produces the Equipment Leasing & Finance U.S. Economic Outlook report in partnership with economic and public policy consulting firm Keybridge Research. The annual economic forecast provides a three to six month outlook for industry investment with data, including a summary of investment trends in key equipment markets, credit market conditions, the U.S. macroeconomic outlook and key economic indicators. The Q4 report is the final update to the 2017 Annual Outlook before the publication of the 2018 Annual Outlook in December.
Download the full report at https://www.leasefoundation.org/industry-resources/u-s-economic-outlook/. All Foundation studies are available for free download from the Foundation’s online library at http://store.leasefoundation.org/.
JOIN THE CONVERSATION
Twitter: https://twitter.com/LeaseFoundation
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LeaseFoundation
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/10989281/
ABOUT THE FOUNDATION
The Equipment Leasing & Finance Foundation is a 501c3 non-profit organization dedicated to inspiring thoughtful innovation and contributing to the betterment of the equipment leasing and finance industry. The Foundation is funded through charitable individual and corporate donations. Learn more at www.leasefoundation.org.
For questions contact:
Amy Vogt
202-238-3438
avogt@elfaonline.org