FTSE 100 close: Dovish Bank of England interest rate bets extend London gains July 20, 2023 London’s FTSE 100 extended gains today as traders continued to cheer signs that UK inflation may have finally turned a corner. The capital’s premier index hopped 0.76 per cent to 7,646.05 points, while the domestically-focused mid-cap FTSE 250 index, which is more aligned with the health of the UK economy, was broadly unchanged at 19,311.73 [...]
Mortgage costs slip for first time since May as Bank of England rate bets cool on inflation drop July 20, 2023 Mortgage rates have dropped for the first time in two months, sparked by banks passing on a reduction in interest rate bets after yesterday’s better than feared inflation figures. The average rate on two-year mortgages fell to 6.79 per cent yesterday from 6.81 per cent, according to financial data provider Moneyfacts. It is the first [...]
Vistry reports 22 per cent slide in home completions as rate hikes bite July 20, 2023 Vistry Group said the number of homes it completed during the quarter was down 22 per cent compared to the same period last year, as surging mortgage rates continue to hit UK housebuilding companies. The London-listed firm blamed a “tough” economic climate for the decline, with the housebuilder completing 2,847 homes in the period down [...]
Inflation tumbles faster than expected to its lowest level in over a year at 7.9 per cent July 19, 2023 Inflation has slimmed to its lowest level in over a year and is falling faster than expected, raising the chances of the Bank of England hiking interest rates at a slower pace next month, official figures out today reveal. The rate of price growth fell to 7.9 per cent in June, down from 8.7 per [...]
Banks to avoid surge in delinquency even as average interest rate on credit card hits highest level this millennium July 19, 2023 The average rate of interest on UK credit cards hit their highest level in nearly 30 years last month, but experts suggested there would not be a surge in delinquencies. According to Bank of England data, the average rate of interest on a credit card surpassed 23 per cent in June for the first time [...]
UK house price growth slows to 1.9 per cent in May July 19, 2023 The average price of a UK house cost £286,000 in May, according to new government data, with the figure being £6,0000 up on 12 months ago – but £7,000 below its September peak. Average UK house prices increased by 1.9 per cent in the 12 months to May 2023, down from a revised 3.2 per [...]
Pound slumps as City cuts Bank of England interest rate bets after shock inflation fall July 19, 2023 Pound sterling today has tumbled sharply in response to markets reining in their expectations for further interest rate hikes from the Bank of England. Britain’s currency shed nearly one per cent against the US dollar, its largest fall in months, to buy $1.29. It was down a similar amount against the euro at €1.15. The [...]
In defence of landlords, by the Bank of England July 18, 2023 Few people in Britain draw as much scorn than landlords. It’s easy to understand why. Young people shackled to renting see landlords as a barrier to their homeownership dreams. Particularly in London, renters hate handing over a huge share of their monthly wage to property investors. Doing so stops them from using their cash [...]
Average price tag on a home fell by £905 in July as house sales slow July 17, 2023 The average price tag on a home coming to market fell by £905 or 0.2 per cent month-on-month in July, according to new data. Rightmove, which released the figures, said rising mortgage rates are biting, with house sales now lagging behind the more “normal” market seen before the coronavirus pandemic, in 2019. While buyer demand [...]
Bank of England interest rate hikes trigger record £2.1 trillion UK wealth collapse, report claims July 17, 2023 The Bank of England has engineered the largest contraction in UK household wealth on record by jacking up interest rates in response to scorching inflation, a new report out today has claimed. Asset values have collapsed by £2.1 trillion since early 2021, mainly driven by a sharp fall in bond prices in response to UK [...]