Interest rates may dent profits' growth at the UK's largest van hire company, Northgate said yesterday. Base rate rises in the UK and Europe may wipe £1.5m off full-year pre-tax profits in the current year. ABN Amro trimmed its pre-tax profit forecast for the current year from £80.5m to £79.4m. Shares fell 37p, or about 3 per cent, to £11.51.