Investec Comment: Why the future is bright for SME finance May 10, 2015 NO ONE needs to be told that it’s been a difficult few years for small businesses seeking finance, and economic recovery has done little to change this picture. The Bank of England’s latest Trends in Lending report found that the annual rate of growth in the stock of lending to small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) [...]
UK house prices: Growth slows for the first time in 2015 May 8, 2015 UK house price growth has fallen on a three-month basis for the first time in 2015, according to Halifax. The figures For the three months to April 2015, house prices in the UK grew 2.2 per cent, lower than the last three months, when it was 2.6 per cent. On a monthly basis prices rose [...]
UK house prices: Number of risky mortgages grows 64 per cent in five years May 6, 2015 In the aftermath of the subprime mortgage crisis, you'd have thought lenders had learned their lessons – but perhaps not, after a new study suggested the number of risky mortgages sold in the UK has risen 64 per cent since 2010. Using last year’s data from the Bank of England, Moore Stevens, an accountancy firm, [...]
Bernanke becomes bond giant Pimco’s latest major signing April 29, 2015 BEN BERNANKE the former chairman of the US Federal Reserve, has joined bond giant Pimco as a senior advisor to the firm. The news comes after he announced last week that he would be advising hedge fund Citadel. He also works full-time for the Brookings Institute. In an interview Bernanke said that he would not be [...]
UK house prices climb to new heights in April due to “surplus in demand which is outpacing supply” April 29, 2015 House prices climbed higher in April, new figures from a major mortgage lender reveal. Annual house price growth edged up to 5.2 per cent in April from March’s 5.1 per cent. The average UK house price is now a £193,048 – the highest on record. Housing analysts blame a lack of supply for [...]
Nationwide House Price Index: UK house prices hit a new record high April 29, 2015 UK’s house price growth rose by an annual rate of 5.2 per cent in April, a small rise from March’s figure of 5.1 per cent. This put the average cost of a house in the UK at £193,048, the highest since records began. The figures According to data from Nationwide, UK house prices rose one per [...]
Santander profits rise as it wins over current account customers April 28, 2015 Santander UK’s profits rose sharply in the first quarter as the lender continued to win customers from rivals. The high street bank yesterday reported profits of £470m for the three-month period, up 13 per cent on the year. It is engaged in a fierce battle with Halifax for new current account customers. Both brands offer [...]
UK mortgage lending starting to edge upward April 28, 2015 MORTGAGE lending and lending to businesses picked up in March. The number of new house-purchase mortgages totalled 38,751 in March, up from February’s 37,453, according to figures released by British Bankers Association (BBA) yesterday. It marks the highest level of monthly mortgages in six months. The rise in the number of mortgages saw lending for [...]
London house prices: Kensington and Chelsea is now growing more slowly than Bristol April 24, 2015 London has lost its housing crown: for the first time since 2005, central London price growth is being outpaced by cities across the UK. According to data from HomeTrack, the triple-threat of electoral uncertainty, mansion tax fears and affordability issues have conspired to slow growth in the country’s most-valuable areas. Boroughs such as Chelsea and [...]
David Cameron urges City workers: Labour-SNP coalition would be toxic for Britain – don’t put UK’s economic recovery at risk April 23, 2015 We have less than two weeks to save our economy. Stark, but true. At this election, the difference in economic policy on offer is more marked than it has been for a generation. The Conservative offer is clear: a continuation of the long-term economic plan that is turning our country around. Last year we were [...]