‘Bond market tantrum risks’: Gilt traders brace for Labour leftward pivot as Starmer future uncertain
Home-builders ramp up incentives to lure hard-up first-time buyers December 2, 2010 HOME-BUILDERS have always offered buyers deals, but some are more valuable than others. Take, for example, the West Bromwich Building Society’s offer in 2004 of a free Rover car worth over £7,000 – a year before the car-maker went into administration. The downturn has left house-builders with new-builds sitting empty all over the country, and [...]
PROPERTY NEWS November 18, 2010 RENTS ON THE RISE Rents rose for the ninth consecutive month in October to £691 while tenant arrears fell significantly for the second month in a row, according to the latest buy-to-let index from LSL Property Services. Unpaid rent totalled £221m, down from £229.3m in the previous month. This accounted for just 9.3 per cent [...]
Gloom hinders Barratt sales November 17, 2010 BUILDER Barratt Developments yesterday reported an autumn slowdown in reservations, as an uncertain economic environment and limited mortgage availability continued to weigh on consumer sentiment. Net reservations per active sales site stood at 0.45 compared with 0.55 a year ago as homebuyers took longer to commit to buying ahead of a government announcement on spending [...]
Barratt sees sales slow in tough market November 17, 2010 Barratt Developments has reported an autumn slowdown in house reservations as economic uncertainty continues to weigh on buyers. Net private reservations per active site stood at 0.45 compared with 0.55 in the period a year ago, as buyers took longer to commit. The company said last month’s spending review had drained some confidence from the [...]
Drinks offers give a boost to Luminar October 21, 2010 NIGHTCLUB operator Luminar said first half sales fell 21 per cent though recent trading had improved. Luminar, which runs the Oceana and Liquid nightclubs, said yesterday it made a pre-tax profit of £1.8m in the first half of the year, compared to a profit of £5.2m a year earlier. Sales were also down 16.9 per [...]
Barratt beats forecasts but warns of dip September 8, 2010 HOUSEBUILDER Barratt Developments said concerns about the economy and the lack of mortgage finance meant the market for new housing was still challenging as it reported better-than-expected full-year profits. “It’s early days in the autumn-selling season but so far private reservation rates are in line with expectations and prices are holding up,” chief executive Mark [...]
Barratt September 8, 2010 WHETHER you deem Barratt a good buy depends on whether you are a bull or a bear on the housing market next year. For the bulls, there are plenty of positives: net debt has fallen £910m to £367m since last year, forward sales are up 22 per cent to £847m and crucially operating margin has [...]
Barratt warns of tough times despite profit rise September 8, 2010 Housebuilder Barratt Developments said wider economic fears and the lack of mortgage finance meant the market for new housing was still challenging as it reported a jump in profits. House prices fell much faster than expected last month, according to a monthly survey from mortgage lender Nationwide, stoking concerns that the country could be headed [...]
Barratt hikes profit forecasts July 14, 2010 BARRATT Developments yesterday said its full-year profits would come in above expectations as it continues to focus on maximising selling prices while keeping a lid on costs. The UK’s third largest housebuilder has pencilled in an operating profit of at least £85m with margins rising to four per cent. The average selling price rose by [...]
Barratt on target for full year profit July 14, 2010 HOUSEBUILDER Barratt Developments said the group’s full-year profits will come in above expectations as it continues to focus on maximising selling prices while keeping a lid on costs. The UK’s third largest housebuilder has pencilled in an operating profit of at least £85m with margins rising to four per cent. The average selling price rose [...]