Banks should watch out – the fintech era has barely begun November 20, 2018 The fintech sector makes a lot of noise in London. There’s an endless stream of news about open banking and challenger banks, while the traditional finance sector watches on with a mixture of admiration and suspicion. Banks have come under attack, not only from the hype-machine, but more meaningfully from startups. Traditional finance providers that assumed [...]
Co-operative Bank reports £87m loss but mortgage completions reach highest quarterly level for five years November 6, 2018 The Co-operative Bank reported a pre-tax loss of £87m in the first nine months of the year but had its best quarter for mortgage completions in five years. The bank posted a third quarter profit of £14.3m – a marked improvement on the £25m loss over the same period the previous year – as it [...]
Opinion: When is the best time to extend the lease on my flat? October 29, 2018 This month commemorates the 10th anniversary of the collapse of Lehman Brothers investment bank and the start of the worst crisis in the international financial system since the Great Depression. I bring this up because, after 10 years of austerity, you’d have thought that property prices in London would have taken a battering, but it [...]
Consumer credit growth stutters to three-year low as UK house purchases fall back October 29, 2018 Consumer borrowing grew at its lowest rate for three years last month after car sales dropped 20 per cent, the Bank of England revealed today. The annual growth rate of consumer borrowing hit 7.7 per cent last month, the lowest it's been since June 2015, and far below the 10.09 per cent growth rate in [...]
Opinion: Would a People’s Vote inspire investors to take a punt on London or would it just cause more uncertainty? October 19, 2018 This weekend sees the People’s March come to London, with thousands of people set to take to the streets to demand a People’s Vote on the final Brexit deal. As a buying, I’m often asked about the impact of Brexit what the prospect of a People’s Vote could have on the prime London property market [...]
Bank of England warns on boom in lending to indebted firms October 17, 2018 The growth of new lending to already debt-burdened borrowers has parallels to the subprime mortgage boom which ended with the global financial crisis, according to minutes from a discussion by Bank of England’s top financial stability policymakers. Minutes published today from the financial policy committee (FPC) showed that members, who include Bank of England governor [...]
Mortgage approvals to first-time buyers hit highest level in more than a year October 16, 2018 The number of first-time buyer mortgage approvals hit 35,500 in August, reaching the highest level in more than a year. The figure was two per cent more than the previous month and peaked at the highest number since June 2017, according to UK Finance's Mortgage Trends Update. Read more: Foxtons closes flagship Park Lane office New lending to [...]
UK Finance makes £15m loss following merger of six trade groups October 14, 2018 UK Finance made a £15m loss following a merger of six financial services trade groups, its accounts revealed. The trade association, which represents nearly 300 firms in the banking and financial services sector, received a membership income of £13.7m – and total income of £17.2m – but suffered the loss due to the costs of the [...]
CYBG joins the big British banks’ risk model club ahead of Virgin Money merger October 11, 2018 Challenger bank CYBG today announced it has received the regulatory thumbs-up to use its own risk models to determine how much capital it must hold, in a move which could potentially allow it to hold less. The firm, which owns the Clydesdale and Yorkshire banking brands and is currently merging with Virgin Money, said the [...]
City Moves for 11 October – who’s switching jobs? October 11, 2018 Today’s City Moves cover Octopus Property, White & Case and Houlihan Lokey. (Take a look at these movers and shakers.) Octopus Property Specialist property lender Octopus Property, part of the Octopus Group, announced the appointment of Paula Purdy as business development manager (BDM), north of England, reporting directly to D’mitri Zaprzala, Head of Sales. Paula’s appointment [...]