The £200bn Covid savings war chest that could prevent a UK recession February 14, 2023 There’s a war chest of nearly £200bn – which started to be built up during the pandemic and has grown ever since – that could save the UK from recession. This may come as a surprise when all we hear from Westminster is how skint we are, but the stash of cash isn’t made up [...]
‘Mortgage chaos’ of last few months eases as available deals surpass 4,000 February 13, 2023 The number of mortgage deals available has surpassed 4,000 for the first time in six months according to a financial information website. Moneyfacts.co.uk, which counts the number of mortgage products at the start of each month, said 4,341 deals were available on 1 February compared with 3,643 products at the start of January. Many mortgage [...]
UK banks set to report record profits of £37bn beating pre-financial crisis highs February 13, 2023 The UK’s top banks are set to unveil record profits in the next two weeks after sharp interest rate hikes boosted the lenders’ coffers last year. The big five FTSE 100 banks – Barclays, HSBC, Lloyds, NatWest and Standard Chartered – could post cumulative pre-tax profits of £37.4bn as they reveal their earnings for 2022, [...]
House prices and sales fell in January as buyer inquiries dropped February 9, 2023 House prices are starting to reflect the shift in demand in the market, according to surveyors. Agreed sales, house prices and new instructions to sell homes remained on a downward trend in January, the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (Rics) said. Property professionals’ expectations suggest this picture is likely to remain in place for a [...]
ULEZ expansion ‘not the answer’: Rebel boroughs Harrow and Bromley warn Khan of impact on ‘poorest and vulnerable’ February 7, 2023 Harrow and Bromley councils have responded to a letter from Sadiq Khan over the expansion of ULEZ, warning of its impact on the poorest. Harrow councillor Paul Osborn wrote to Khan earlier this week, reiterating that the expansion of the ultra-low emission zone (ULEZ) to include the whole of Greater London was “not the answer” [...]
Bank chiefs hit back at accusations of profiteering on higher interest rates February 7, 2023 Chief executives from the UK’s four largest lenders today hit back at accusations from MPs that they were too quick to charge customers more interest on their mortgages without offering higher rates on savings accounts. The bank chiefs were asked why interest rates on instant savings accounts remain around one per cent while the Bank [...]
UK house prices slow to three-year low as cost of living crisis drags down London and South East property market February 7, 2023 In London, house prices fell from £541k to £530k iin January, with annual house price inflation flat at 0.0 per cent compared to 2.9 per cent in December.
House prices are poised to slide in 2023 but straight into the hands of the lucky few February 7, 2023 There’s a pretty wild variety of house price predictions doing the rounds. Capital Economics have forecast they could fall 12 per cent, while experts at property search site Zoopla are a bit more optimistic. The consensus seems to be somewhere around a six per cent fall in 2023. One thing is certain: house prices are [...]
Retail experts warn of ‘challenging’ months ahead as sales growth slows February 7, 2023 Senior retail figures have warned that the coming months will be “challenging” for the sector, after sales slowed over January, falling below the three-month average growth of 5.2 per cent to 4.2 per cent Helen Dickinson OBE, chief executive at British Retail Consortium (BRC), said consumer confidence remains “stubbornly low” and looming rises in household [...]
Bank of England aggressive rate hikes send chill through UK construction economy February 6, 2023 The Bank of England’s ten successive interest rate rises have sent a chill through the UK’s construction economy, a closely watched survey out today shows. Potential home buyers are shunning purchases due to mortgage rates flying higher, prompting house builders to rein in spending. S&P Global and the Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply’s (CIPS) [...]