UK house prices: No respite in sight for the housing market August 21, 2015 The housing market shows no sign of easing up this summer with prices climbing and mortgage lending seeing its strongest month for seven years. City level house prices are seeing their fastest growth for over a decade, property market analysts Hometrack said today. It said asking prices had increased 4.3 per cent in the [...]
The super-rich paying a £50,000 deposit to RENT in London August 20, 2015 With rising house prices placing home ownership out of reach for many and overseas investment rife, London’s lettings market is booming. But the commonly-painted picture of young professionals struggling to pay for their grotty house share in Dalston only tells one side of this increasingly complex story. For competition isn’t only fierce at the affordable [...]
Upcoming City slickers should take better care on social media August 18, 2015 YOU ALWAYS hear rumours of big companies trawling through prospective employees’ social media profiles to look for dirt, but the finance world is slacking on the job. The Capitalist is privy to a few accounts of London’s young City slickers, and these are just a few of the hot takes and drunken escapades coming out [...]
Investor worries over commodity markets drag the FTSE August 13, 2015 COPPER prices hit six-year lows this week, and mining stocks have tumbled over the past few days, with companies in the sector the biggest losers on the FTSE yesterday. Currency weakness in China has prompted concerns among commodity investors, who fear that import costs for Chinese firms could rise if prolonged weakness in the yuan [...]
London house prices: There’s a bold solution to the housing crisis – if councils get out of the way August 6, 2015 Tessa Jowell is the latest mayoral candidate to pledge to build more homes to tackle London’s housing crisis, promising at least 50,000 new properties would be built each year under her watch. The government has also outlined plans for 200,000 new starter homes to be constructed, many also earmarked for the capital. But history tells [...]
Commodities in freefall as China faces slowdown August 4, 2015 Mining stocks were dealt a body blow yesterday, with one index dropping to a 13-year low, as Chinese manufacturing PMI data dragged the commodities market down yet again. The data, which came out yesterday morning, showed that the downturn in China’s manufacturing sector intensified at the start of the third quarter. Production was cut at [...]
London property sales account for almost half of stamp duty revenue August 2, 2015 Almost half of all stamp duty revenue across England and Wales is collected from property sales in London, according to data showing the impact of last year’s rise in rates for the most expensive homes. Research by estate agent Knight Frank shows London accounted for just 13 per cent of all property transactions for the [...]
Marsh lifts Ashes selection hopes with timely ton July 23, 2015 CENTURION Shaun Marsh sailed through his audition to replace Chris Rogers at the top of Australia’s batting line-up amid lingering fears that the veteran opener could miss next week’s third Investec Ashes Test. Rogers is a doubt for the Edgbaston clash after struggling to recover from dizziness suffered while batting in Australia’s second innings at [...]
City Moves for 23 July 2015 | Who’s switching jobs July 22, 2015 Knight Frank Stephanie Gray has been appointed senior surveyor in the property consultancy’s capital markets team. She joins from Inglis Howie, where she was a senior surveyor involved in investment acquisitions and disposals across the UK. Neptune Investment Management The fund manager has appointed Joshua Ausden as head of client investment strategy. He joins in [...]
City Moves for 17 July 2015 | Who’s switching jobs July 16, 2015 Marketform The Lloyd’s underwriter has announced the appointment of Alistair Marriott as joint deputy head of marine and class underwriter cargo. He joins from QBE, where he was cargo portfolio manager for the past 12 years. Allianz Global Investors The investment management firm has appointed Johnnie Barnett as director of UK institutional business development. He [...]