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 [...]
Housebuilder shares drop on “vanilla” house price growth August 18, 2015 Shares in the UK's largest listed housebuilders fell today, despite official figures showing annual house price growth rose to 5.7 per cent in June. Shares in Barratt fell 1.45 per cent to 643.5p in late morning trading, while Berkeley Group was down just under one per cent at 3,422p. Meanwhile, shares in Persimmon, which posted [...]
UK house prices: Approvals of mortgages slip back in July as interest rate rise looms August 17, 2015 The number of mortgage approvals fell back in July against a backdrop of fears over a rise in the Bank of England’s interest rates, according to the latest Mortgage Monitor from e.surv, the UK’s largest chartered surveyor. There were 65,356 house purchase mortgage approvals in July, down 1.8 per cent from 66,582 in June and [...]
This could spell the end of fixed rate mortgages August 17, 2015 Legislation being shaped by the European Union could make it too expensive for building societies and small banks to offer fixed rate mortgages. If they stopped making these kinds of loans it would vastly reduce the number of fixed-rate mortgages available, according to a report in The Times. Nevertheless bigger banks will still be able to make them [...]
Homebuyers chase longer fixed rate mortgages as interest rate hike looms August 16, 2015 The prospect of interest rates coming off their record lows is prompting potential homebuyers to search for extended mortgages. Mortgages with a 30-year term, or longer, were considered by 21 per cent of those looking to buy between April and June, according to data published today by the Mortgage Advice Bureau (Mab), a brokers. Only [...]
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 [...]
What private client FX offers entrepreneurs – Investec Comment: August 9, 2015 Most businesses with vulnerability to foreign exchange risk – whether they’re exporters or have subsidiaries overseas – will have arrangements in place to mitigate their exposure to sharp currency moves. But what about you as an individual? As business owners and entrepreneurs become more globally-mobile, they are more likely to have overseas investments, or [...]
Don’t bank on a rise in interest rates to end poor returns for savers August 6, 2015 To no-one's surprise, the Bank of England’s rate-setting committee kept the base rate at 0.5 per cent yesterday. While anyone with a mortgage will have breathed a sigh of relief, savers will take the announcement as further confirmation that they’re unlikely to earn a decent return any time soon. But is the low base [...]
Traditional banking needs to act fast to survive Google’s predictive power August 6, 2015 The options we have for our everyday bank accounts are increasing. Virgin Money, Tesco Bank and the Post Office have recently entered the personal current account market, and prospective entrants include Atom, Starling, Civilised Bank and OakNorth. But could the biggest competition to our traditional banks be hiding in plain sight? There are various factors [...]