Halifax: Reluctant sellers push UK house price growth up again September 10, 2015 Another day, another confirmation that UK house prices are rocketing, after new figures showed prices were nine per cent higher in the three months to August than they were during the same period last year. To be fair, that was still lower than the impressive 9.6 per cent rise in June – but higher than [...]
UK house prices: Growing gulf between supply and demand is heating up the property market September 10, 2015 House prices could rocket even faster than previously forecast, as research reveals that accelerating demand for homes is coming up against a brick wall of scant supply. Prices are set to climb six per cent this year, the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) said today, doubling the estimate it made at the start [...]
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 [...]
UK inflation: Pound hits seven-week high as inflation unexpectedly hits 0.1 per cent in July August 18, 2015 The pound hit a seven-week high against the greenback this morning as investors cheered a better-than-expected inflation figure. Official data showed the consumer price index rose 0.1 per cent in the year to July, from zero a month earlier, beating economists' expectations for no change. Nevertheless inflation still remains well below the Bank of England's target [...]
Nationwide attacks bank surcharge, accusing George Osborne of targeting building societies August 18, 2015 Britain’s second largest mortgage lender has said chancellor George Osborne’s new bank tax will cost it £300m over the next five years. The move by Osborne to replace the bank levy with a surcharge will “disproportionately” hit building societies, Nationwide chief executive has Graham Beale said. Osborne announced in the July Budget that the annual [...]
Santander UK half-year profit almost doubles August 14, 2015 SPANISH banking giant Santander yesterday reported that UK half-year, pre-tax profit jumped to £929m from £545m in the period to June 2014. However, it warned of increasing competition in the British lending market as continuing low interest rates encouraged institutions to cut loan costs as they battle for customers. In a half-year report for its UK [...]
Super Thursday: Here what analysts think of today’s interest rate vote August 6, 2015 It's Super Thursday – the day the Bank of England unleashes a raft of data, from the latest decision on interest rates (spoiler: they left it at 0.5 per cent) to its quarterly inflation report, in an effort to increase transparency. The most anticipated section of the release was the the minutes of the latest [...]
Super Thursday: Why business wants the Bank of England to hold its nerve August 5, 2015 As the UK’s economic recovery solidifies, the siren calls for interest rate rises are intensifying. Even the governor of the Bank of England – who no one would describe as a monetary policy hawk – has begun to prepare the ground for rate hikes in the not-too-distant future. With the US Federal Reserve set to [...]
Rate hikes: How can you protect your investments? July 28, 2015 Bonds may be bashed but equities could be winners if the Federal Reserve moves this autumn As the Federal Reserve convenes once again this week to discuss whether interest rates should be raised from their rock-bottom lows, many investors are sounding out the potential implications of a rate hike on their portfolios. Pressure [...]
Rate hikes ahoy or time to batten down the hatches? What eight analysts think of today’s UK GDP figures July 28, 2015 It's official: UK GDP grew 0.7 per cent during the second quarter, meaning the UK has now had 10 consecutive quarters of growth. But is it all good news? And what does it mean for the future of interest rates, which Bank of England governor Mark Carney has strongly hinted will begin to rise "around [...]