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 [...]
Co-operative Bank calls in top bankers to explore takeover bids February 23, 2022 The Co-Operative Bank has called in top investment bankers as it begins eyeing up potential acquisition targets and exploring a move to consolidate the UK’s mid-size banking market.
Barclays freezes ex-boss Staley’s bonus until Epstein dispute resolution February 23, 2022 Barclays has frozen all scheduled bonus payments to its former boss Jes Staley until a dispute between he and Britain’s financial regulators over the way he characterised his relationship with sex offender Jeffrey Epstein is resolved. The high street lender said today all bonus payments, which amount to around 70 per cent of Staley’s total [...]
More banker bonuses on the way this week February 21, 2022 Big banker bonuses are back on the table amid a robust rebound in lenders’ profits, annual results are expected to reveal this week. The City is expecting Barclays, which publishes finals on Wednesday, to register a £8.1bn profit haul, up sharply from £3.1bn in 2020 when the pandemic sent the banking sector spiralling. Investors will [...]
Australian property fintech PEXA gears up for government-backed UK launch February 15, 2022 Australian property fintech PEXA is set for a UK expansion with backing from the UK government as it looks to roll out a remortgage platform for UK mortgage lenders.
Higher interest rates and rebounding loan demand to boost UK banks February 10, 2022 A higher interest rate environment and a rebound in loan demand is set to boost Britain’s biggest lenders. UK banks’ net interest margins will widen on the Bank of England and the world’s biggest central banks launching a rate hike cycle this year to tame inflation, analysts are betting. Final quarter earnings for UK banks [...]