New car sales rose by 13.4 per cent in June in the latest sign that the recovery is gathering pace.

The UK's goods trade deficit tumbled by £1 billion to £8.2 billion in April, making it £600 million smaller than expected and the lowest since January. Including the services surplus, the overall deficit shrank from £3.2 billion to £2 billion.

One of the puzzles of the past year is how British consumers have managed to keep increasing their spending despite the continuing squeeze on their incomes and without further running down savings – rather the reverse.

Air Partner, the aviation business, has seen its private jet division grow first-half revenues by 12 per cent to £22.7m.

Soaring petrol prices and household bills are encouraging more people to buy fuel-efficient cars, according to new figures released by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT).

Economic View

The dire state of the European car industry was laid bare yesterday as registrations in September fell at their fastest rate for 12 months and a profits warning came from the car and plane parts maker GKN.

Mumnet has joined up with Haymarket Media Group's What Car magazine to launch a new motoring website, Mumsnet Cars.

A man wanted for murder after a police officer was fatally shot has been found dead in a churchyard, police said.

Directors' Olympic film relay struggles to get out of the blocks

Car sales saw their biggest jump in nearly two years last month, as new vehicle registrations rose 7.9 per cent to 162,288.

Sales of new cars sped ahead last month, according to official figures today.

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