RBS makes quarterly loss of £446m after more cash earmarked for forex scandal costs April 30, 2015 RBS has slumped to a quarterly loss after it joined Barclays in earmarking more cash to stave off potential payments over the forex scandal. The Figures For the three months to the end of March, RBS posted a loss of £446m, a big swing from the £1.2bn profit it made in the same quarter last [...]
Entrepreneur David Johnson is building an empire in the British Virgin Islands to rival Richard Branson’s Necker April 30, 2015 When Sir Richard Branson arrived in the British Virgin Islands, he was sufficiently smitten that he bought his own island, Necker. It’s easy to see why. This Caribbean tropical paradise enjoys a sunny season stretching to 10 months of the year, while gentle waves from a clear blue sea lap the BVI’s many sandy beaches. [...]
Nationwide House Price Index: UK house prices hit a new record high April 29, 2015 UK’s house price growth rose by an annual rate of 5.2 per cent in April, a small rise from March’s figure of 5.1 per cent. This put the average cost of a house in the UK at £193,048, the highest since records began. The figures According to data from Nationwide, UK house prices rose one per [...]
Mortgage approvals just jumped to a six-month high in March April 28, 2015 Mortgage approvals hit a six-month high in March, but they're still about 14 per cent lower than a year ago, according to data released by the British Bankers' Association (BBA) today. Mortgage approvals for house purchase rose to 38,751 in March, up from 37,453 in February and the largest amount since September last year. "The [...]
UK property prices: House price growth still falling – but mortgage approvals are up April 9, 2015 Growth in house prices fell again in the three months to March, to 8.1 per cent, down from 8.5 per cent in January, research by Halifax suggested today. That puts growth at a "similar" rate to September 2014 – although it's now "significantly" below July's peak of 10.2 per cent, it added. Month on month, [...]
Cheaper rates lift approvals to six-month high March 30, 2015 MORTGAGE approvals climbed to a six-month high in February, according to figures released by the Bank of England yesterday Mortgage approvals for house purchases numbered 61,760 in February, up from 60,707 in January. Net mortgage lending rose by £1.74bn, the fastest growth in three months. Recent surveys of the housing market have shown a cooling [...]
Mortgage approvals soar to a six-month high in February March 30, 2015 Mortgage approvals soared to a six-month high in February, data released by the Bank of England today shows. Threadneedle Street said mortgage approvals rose to 61,760 in February, which was up from 60,707 in January.This marks the third consecutive month of growth since approvals hit a 17-month low of 58,944 in November. Despite the gains mortgage [...]
UK house prices: March’s Nationwide house price index reveals more proof the property market is cooling March 27, 2015 House prices in the UK inched up just 0.1 per cent in March, a further signal the property market is continuing to cool. That number took annual growth to 5.1 per cent, down from February’s 5.7 per cent, the seventh consecutive monthly slowdown in growth. That means growth is now at an 18-month low. “Economic [...]
Brits expecting strong year for house prices March 25, 2015 HOMEOWNERS and prospective buyers are expecting elevated house price growth over the next 12 months. It comes after a dip in expectations in February, which looked to be the beginning of a welcome slowdown in the market after a year of rapid growth and declining affordability. The Halifax house price optimism index released today rose [...]
Mortgage approvals roar to five-month high as recovery “takes hold” March 25, 2015 Mortgage approvals have the wind of low borrowing rates in their sails and have stormed to a five-month high. The number of mortgage approvals jumped to 37,305 in February, up from 36,517 in January. A bit of context is revealing: they are still 20 per cent lower than in February 2014. What is more, approvals [...]