Financials rally boosts London’s top indexes March 22, 2022 A rally among financial stocks boosted London’s top indexes this morning as the FTSE 100 closes in on its pre-Russian invasion of Ukraine high. The capital’s premier FTSE 100 index closed 0.46 per cent higher at 7,476.72 points, while the domestically-focused FTSE 250 index, which is more aligned with the health of the UK economy, [...]
Home transactions up with market for pricey properties booming compared to pre-Covid levels March 22, 2022 Property transactions hit 96,250 last month, with big spenders buying more than before the pandemic. Transactions were up 15 per cent in February, compared to 83,450 in January, according to HMRC’s latest data on home transactions. Total sales for the first two months of the year stand at 179,900, some 18 per cent lower than [...]
Exclusive: Assetz to receive £1bn fund to aid small housebuilders March 17, 2022 Aros Kapital will inject over £1bn into lender Assetz Capital to fund lending to small businesses, including housebuilders, over the next three years. Aros will contribute at least £750m to lending, in addition to around £350m already pledged, an update shared exclusively with CityA.M. revealed. Thanks to the investment, Assetz is readying to offer its [...]
Home sales continue to soar as buyers keen to move despite rates hike March 10, 2022 Home sales surged last month with strong demand from buyers not letting up, even in spite of an uplift to increase rates. The latest RICS Residential Market Survey reported a net balance of nine per cent more respondents saying sales were increasing. This represented the strongest reading since May 2021. The survey also reported a [...]
Value of mortgage advances tops £70bn as real estate experts say market is cooling off March 8, 2022 Real estate experts have said the latest mortgage lenders statistics show a market cooling off from its earlier frenzy. In figures published by the Bank of England on Tuesday, the outstanding value of all residential mortgage loans was £1,613.4bn at the end of the fourth quarter of 2021. This was 4.7 per cent higher than [...]
Mortgage approvals highest since the summer as cost of living crunch looms March 1, 2022 Mortgage approvals for house purchases lifted in January, in another monthly boost for the housing market. Figures released from the Bank of England on Tuesday morning show some 73,922 mortgage approvals during last month. This is the highest approval number since July 2021, when 75,900 mortgages were given the green light. It also represents the [...]
Saturday Sitdown: Mortgage guru Colin Bell on why Brits are ready for 50 year fixed rates February 26, 2022 Following the Bank of England’s recent interest rate rise and all the implications it has for the property and mortgage market, one firm is offering loans at a 30 year fixed rate, with plans to offer 40 and 50 year fixes in the near future. Sold as a massive lifestyle enabler and gives people much [...]
Lloyds Bank boss warns of ‘heightened’ Russian cyberattack threat February 24, 2022 The boss of Britain’s biggest mortgage lender today sounded the alarm on potential Russian cybersecurity attacks after Vladimir Putin ordered a full-blown incursion of Ukraine in the early hours of this morning. Charlie Nunn, chief executive of Lloyds bank, said the lender’s top team have “been on heightened alert” to spot any Russian interference with [...]
Booming mortgage lending swings Co-op Bank back to profit February 24, 2022 A sharp rebound in mortgage lending amid a rampant UK housing market swung Co-operative Bank back to profit last year, the bank announced today. A near three-fold increase in net mortgage lending pushed profits at Co-op Bank to over £30m, up from a £103.7m loss in 2020. An ultra-low interest rate environment stoked demand in [...]
Lloyds Bank’s profits in the lift as lender’s mortgage book surges to £293bn February 24, 2022 Lloyds Banking Group has become the latest lending giant to post a bumper annual profit haul after releasing Covid loan loss provisions thanks to the UK’s economic recovery. The group has reported pre-tax profits surging to £6.9bn in 2021, up from £1.2bn the previous year after releasing Covid loan loss provisions thanks to the UK [...]