Acquis Index shows resilient investment in business assets

UK businesses are continuing to invest in higher-value, growth-critical equipment despite an overall decline in leasing activity, according to the 2026 Acquis Index.

The latest Index, which tracks equipment leasing activity across participating UK asset finance portfolios, found overall leasing activity fell 3.6% year-on-year between January and August 2026.

However, the total value of leasing agreements declined by just 0.8%, with Acquis highlighting continued investment in higher-value equipment supporting productivity, growth and operational efficiency.

Construction and manufacturing recorded some of the strongest growth. Leasing activity for building and construction equipment increased 29.5% year-on-year, while the value of agreements rose 31.5%.

Manufacturing and packaging machinery also performed strongly, with activity increasing 16% and agreement values rising 21.7%.

Retail, security and EPOS equipment recorded an 8.4% increase in both activity and value, while restaurant equipment leasing activity grew 6.9%.

Higher values despite fewer agreements

The Index also identified a widening gap between leasing activity and the value of equipment being financed across several categories.

Industrial equipment leasing activity declined 2.3%, but the value of agreements increased 1.1%.

The difference was particularly pronounced in material handling equipment, where activity fell 7.4% but the value of agreements increased 27.5%.

Office furniture and equipment followed a similar pattern, with activity declining 4.7% while value increased 6.1%.

Acquis said the figures indicate that businesses are continuing to commit to larger or higher-value investments even where the overall number of transactions has softened.

“While overall activity is slightly below last year’s level, leasing values have remained comparatively resilient. Businesses appear to be prioritising equipment that can increase productivity, improve customer experience or deliver clear operational benefits.

“The Index provides a useful insight into changing investment priorities and shows that, despite ongoing uncertainty, sectors such as construction and manufacturing are continuing to invest heavily in their equipment.”

Office technology leasing continues to decline

The findings also point to a continued shift away from traditional office technology.

Leasing activity for multi-function print and photocopying equipment fell 8% year-on-year, while the value of agreements declined 6.8%.

Computers, printers and fax equipment recorded a larger 13.6% fall in activity, although the value of agreements declined by a more modest 3.9%.

Telecommunications equipment, excluding mobile devices, saw activity fall 4%, with agreement values down 3.7%.

Rudolf added: “We continue to work with our clients on these evolving needs and know that the 2027 Index will show a further evolution of these trends.

“It also illustrates why leasing is such a good finance option for businesses who may need to take advantage of an economic shift by upscaling quickly and staying flexible in the more challenging times.”

The 2026 Acquis Index is based on aggregated equipment finance data from participating portfolios covering January 1 to August 31, 2026, compared with the same period in 2025.

All lessor-level information is aggregated and anonymised, with no individual lender or lessor identified, ranked or assessed. Acquis noted that the Index reflects the equipment categories and portfolios within its dataset and is not intended to represent the entire UK asset finance market.