UK car sales rose around 1 percent in October - preliminary data

LONDON, Nov 4 (Reuters) - British new car registrations increased by around 1 percent year-on-year last month, according to preliminary data from an industry body, with overall sales figures appearing to weather any hit from the Brexit vote so far.

Demand has risen every month this year, except in June, driven by strong sales from businesses for fleet cars although some registrations logged after the June 23 referendum will have resulted from purchasing decisions made beforehand.

However, sales to individual buyers have fallen in every month since April, suggesting that the run-up to the vote and the decision to leave the European Union may have hit sentiment among consumers.

The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) will publish full data for October at 0900 GMT.

The SMMT cut its full-year expectations after Brexit but still predicts sales will hit a new record of 2.68 million units in 2016, marginally ahead of the 2.63 million sold in 2015. (Reporting by Costas Pitas; Editing by Alexandra Hudson)