FCA reviewing bank risk appetite to boost home ownership June 24, 2025 The Financial Conduct Authority has said it will review lenders’ risk-taking in its bid to boost home ownership. The City watchdog said it was seeking a “public conversation” on the “future of the mortgage market” as it looks to support economic growth through an overhaul on mortgage rules. An update to “responding lending rules” was [...]
Paragon Bank shares jump after analysts hike target June 16, 2025 Shares in Paragon Banking Group jumped on Monday after analysts reiterated their ‘Buy’ rating. The FTSE 250 bank’s stock climbed over two per cent in afternoon trading, reaching 908.50p. This came after Peel Hunt analysts upped their target price on the lender to 1,030p from 950p. “The group’s capital and funding position remain strong, with [...]
Will lower stress tests for mortgages fuel a first-time buyer boom? June 13, 2025 Easier access to mortgages might replace the stamp duty holiday as fuel for the starter homes market, with prices forecast to soar if affordability improves. The average price paid by a first-time buyer grew by 2.1 per cent in the first quarter and by 7.1 per cent year on year, according to government data. While [...]
House prices dip in May after stamp duty change June 6, 2025 House prices in the UK fell slightly in May after market activity dropped following the end of the stamp duty holiday earlier this year according to the latest data from lender Halifax. Prices fell by 0.4 per cent in May after rising 0.3 per cent in April, putting the value of an average UK home [...]
Property transactions falter despite rise in number of homes available May 30, 2025 Homebuying in the UK slowed in April after the end of the stamp duty holiday, despite an uptick in the number of properties available. The number of UK residential transactions in April 2025 was 64,680, 28 per cent lower than April 2024 and 64 per cent lower than March 2025, according to official statistics. Estate agents attributed [...]
What the Bank of England’s interest rate cut means for your mortgage May 8, 2025 The Bank of England has reduced rates by 0.25 percentage points to 4.25 per cent in a hotly anticipated cut that will leave homeowners with big decisions for their mortgage deals. The reduced cost for banks to borrow money will have broad implications for the mortgage market, as banks lower interest rates on loans. Major [...]
Mortgage borrowing surges ahead of stamp duty changes May 1, 2025 Net borrowing or mortgages spiked by £9.7bn in March as house buyers looked to clinch deals before higher stamp duty taxes came into effect. Net borrowing levels exceeded £13bn, according to the Bank of England, as the rise compared to February beat market forecasts of £3.2bn. EY ITEM Club’s Matt Swannell said the surge in [...]
House prices continue their steady upward climb April 1, 2025 House prices continued to rise in March as easing affordability pressures – alongside the end of the stamp duty holiday – boosted demand. UK house price growth remained stable in March at 3.9 per cent, the same as in February, according to Nationwide’s house price index. “These price trends are unsurprising, given the end of [...]
Ex-Lloyds executive wants to ‘fintech’ mortgages February 21, 2025 A former Lloyds executive wants to accelerate the mortgage process by bringing AI into the mix. Stuart Cheetham worked at Lloyds bank for over a decade, spanning senior roles across Asia. He was chief executive in Hong Kong and managing director in Japan. However, since departing the Big Four bank, Cheetham founded his own company [...]
Natwest: FTSE 100 bank’s share price scoops ten-year high February 11, 2025 Shares in Natwest were touching a ten year high on Tuesday morning, ahead of the bank posting its annual results on Friday. At market open, share price was at 442.70p edging towards the high of 445.85p achieved in February 2015. The lender hit its highest share price since 2015 last month, and continued to rally [...]