Consumer borrowing growth hits decade-high February 29, 2016 Borrowing on credit cards and through overdrafts is growing at its fastest rate since January 2006, data published today by the Bank of England reveals. The stock of consumer credit reached £179.5bn in January, up 9.1 per cent on the same month last year. Total credit growth in the UK is now at its highest [...]
House purchase approvals hit two-year high as buy to let investors rush to beat April’s stamp duty change February 29, 2016 Mortgage lending picked up in January as buy to let investors rush to buy properties before a hike in stamp duty in April. Net mortgage lending rose to £3.7bn in January from £3.2bn in December, according to figures published by the Bank of England this morning. There were 128,709 mortgages approved. Approvals for house purchase, as opposed to [...]
With mortgage rates heading towards 1 per cent, should we be worried about a bubble in the market? February 29, 2016 Scott Corfe, director at the Centre for Business and Economic Research, says Yes. Most of the house price growth seen in the UK over the past couple of years has been fundamentals-driven. Supply of new homes simply hasn’t caught up with demand. However, one does wonder if we are now veering into bubble territory – particularly [...]
Surprise: Dollar rises against the euro as US growth is revised upwards for the fourth quarter of 2015 February 26, 2016 The dollar rose this afternoon after US growth was unexpectedly revised upwards for the fourth quarter of last year – despite worries about global growth. GDP growth hit one per cent in the final three months of the year, figures from the US Commerce Department showed today, up from the 0.7 per cent initial estimate. That pushed [...]
UK house prices: two thirds of workers earned less than the average property last year February 26, 2016 Two out of five UK workers (38 per cent) earned less than the average home in the last 12 months, a new study by Post Office Money claims. The Cost of Buying & Moving report, which was compiled by the Centre for Economics and Business Research (Cebr) found that average house prices rose by seven per cent – [...]
Zoopla share price rises as it shrugs off competition from OnTheMarket.com to post ninth month of growth February 25, 2016 It could have been a difficult day for Zoopla, which faced tough competition in the form of estate agent-run rival, OnTheMarket.com, when it launched at the beginning of last year. But this morning the property portal said it had a "solid start" to 2016, with a record 58m visits in January, and an average 47m monthly visits [...]
Help to buy could be worsening London’s housing crisis and driving young people out of the capital February 25, 2016 Are you tired of London? Want to move to a quieter, cheaper part of the country? If so, you’re not alone – every year, thousands of people quit the city in search of a more tranquil existence. However, they tend to be replaced by a new wave of incoming urbanites, typically young people attracted by London’s [...]
Challenger banks: Moody’s says smaller lenders are poised to compete with Britain’s big banks for a share of the UK mortgage market February 25, 2016 British challenger banks are poised to compete with larger lenders for a share of the mortgage market, Moody’s Investors Service has said. In a new report out today, Moody’s said challengers are likely to use securitisation to compete for a bigger share of the UK mortgage market. “Increasing competition in the mortgage market driven by [...]
House prices to climb further as mortgage lending hits highest level since 2008 in January February 24, 2016 Mortgage lending spiked in January, raising concerns that UK house prices could rise even faster. Borrowing topped £13.6bn, 38 per cent higher than the same month last year and the highest since mid-2008, figures released this morning by the British Bankers' Association (BBA) show. The number of mortgage approvals was up 38 per cent on the year. [...]
EU referendum: Why protecting the pound is the jewel in the crown of Cameron’s deal February 24, 2016 Following the Prime Minister’s EU renegotiation, the debate is already raging. Myriad topics, from sovereignty to benefits, are dominating the headlines. But what shouldn’t be lost in the detail – and should be celebrated – is David Cameron’s success in protecting the pound. This, alongside related hard-won measures, has far-reaching and positive consequences for Britain’s [...]