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 [...]
The end of stamp duty relief isn’t the only cost going up for first-time buyers February 11, 2025 First-time buyers (FTBs) are facing higher costs across the board as they grapple with not only high stamp duty fees, but a low stock of affordable houses, more stringent lending requirements and higher upfront costs. First and foremost, stamp duty relief is set to end on March 31, which has driven a significant boost in [...]
UK mortgage approvals rise as buyers race to beat stamp duty changes January 30, 2025 The number of mortgages approved by the UK banking sector rose unexpectedly in December, according to new data, suggesting buyers are looking to beat upcoming changes to stamp duty. The Bank of England’s figures showed that 66,500 mortgages were approved last month, which was up from 66,100 approvals in November. Economists had expected the number [...]
More borrowers will be paying off mortgage debt into their 70s January 21, 2025 In the first nine months of 2024, 22,103 mortgages with a term of at least 35 years were approved to people aged over 36.
UK house prices climb at fastest rate since 2021 – but fears over Budget impact mount January 7, 2025 According to Halifax, UK house prices rose 3.3 per cent across 2024 as a whole, with the majority of the house price growth coming in the second half of the year.
Caution persists in London’s prime property market after Budget hit December 27, 2024 A tense political and economic environment has left buyers of prime property cautious in the last few months of the year, with prices dipping in central London. House prices in Knightsbridge and Belgravia fell by two per cent and 1.5 per cent, respectively, while prices fell 0.8 per cent across the capital as a whole, [...]
UK house prices reach record levels with demand set to continue December 6, 2024 House prices have now reached record levels as lower mortgage rates have helped improve buyer confidence for the fifth month in a row. According to the Halifax House Price Index, UK house prices rose 1.3 per cent in November, the biggest increase this year. November’s increase pushed the annual growth rate up 4.8 per cent, [...]
UK mortgage approvals rose to more than two-year high before Budget November 29, 2024 UK lenders approved the most mortgages in more than two years last month as Britain’s housing market proved resilient ahead of the new government’s first Budget. Banks and building societies gave the green light to 68,300 loans for house purchase in October, according to data from the Bank of England. That figure is the highest [...]
Square Mile and Me: Together’s Ryan Etchells on going from intern to CCO November 7, 2024 Each week we dig into the memory bank of the City’s great and good. Today, it's Together CCO Ryan Etchells, with a northerner's perspective on the Square Mile.