HSBC profits surge to $5.8bn on Covid-19 recovery hopes April 27, 2021 Banking giant HSBC this morning announced a surging pre-tax profit of $5.78bn (£4.16bn) for the first quarter, up from $3.21bn a year ago and well above an average analyst forecast of $3.35bn. Revenue, however, fell five per cent to $13bn in the three months to 30 March as low interest rates in its main markets [...]
House prices: New build homebuyer demand explodes on England’s south coast and in Wales April 26, 2021 Homebuyer demand for new build homes has climbed 9 per cent in the last year, with coastal towns in the south of England and Wales leading the charge. Across Britain, 38.7 per cent of all new build homes are already sold subject to contract or under offer, a 9 per cent jump on the same [...]
Boost for first-time buyers as more ultra-low deposit mortgages hit the market April 24, 2021 In a further boost to first-time buyers, more lenders are bringing 5 per cent deposit mortgages onto the market. New deals announced by Metro Bank and Cambridge Building Society are not part of a new government-backed mortgage guarantee scheme which was launched this week to increase the availability of 5 per cent deposit loans. Major [...]
Taylor Wimpey sees strong housing demand as market continues recovery April 22, 2021 Housebuilder Taylor Wimpey today said that the housing market has remained healthy in 2021 after a surge in customer demand. Speaking in a trading update, Taylor Wimpey reported a net private sales rate for the year to 18 April of 1.00, compared to 0.90 in 2020. Its total order book value stood at around £2.81bn, [...]
The government is cautious about crypto – but I think we’ll get there April 21, 2021 Lord Holmes of Richmond reflects on hundreds of hours of debate over the Financial Services Bill passed in the House of Lords.
UK house prices rise at fastest rate since 2014 April 21, 2021 UK house prices soared in February at the highest growth rate recorded in more than six years – but London lagged behind the rest of the country. Average house prices across the UK increased 8.6 per cent in the year to February, up from eight per cent in January. This is the highest house price [...]
Nationwide to lend first-time buyers five times their income on long-term mortgage April 20, 2021 First-time buyers with deposits as low as 10 per cent will be able to borrow five and a half times their income when taking out a longer-term mortgage, the UK’s biggest building society said this morning. Nationwide Building Society said that under its “helping hand” initiative, first-time buyers across the UK will have the option [...]
Home buyers face highest-ever price tags as house prices jump by £7,000 in just four weeks April 19, 2021 Spring home buyers are facing the highest ever prices demanded by sellers, with the average price tag on a home having jumped by nearly £7,000 in the space of just a month. Across Britain, the increase of £6,733 or 2.1 per cent month-on-month pushed average seller asking prices to a new record high of £327,797 [...]
Halifax: UK house prices near ‘pre-financial crash levels’ April 14, 2021 UK house prices have hit a record high despite rising at a slower rate than a year ago, according to the Halifax house price index this morning. The lender said that the affordability of houses was “close to pre-financial crisis levels”, as house prices remained historically high at an average of £252,765. The difference between [...]
Overnight stays restart this week, as PM sets out ‘traffic light’ plan for holidays abroad April 12, 2021 Overnight stays restart this week, as PM sets out 'traffic light' plan for holidays abroad