Coronavirus: Is the pandemic the final nail in the coffin for property funds? September 2, 2020 As the economy starts to reopen after lockdown, the commercial property sector is looking to bounce back from what has been a difficult year. But the vast majority of the UK’s open-ended property funds remain suspended after they were closed as the coronavirus outbreak took hold. And a recent consultation from the Financial Conduct Authority [...]
UK house prices recover from lockdown to hit all-time high in August September 2, 2020 UK house prices recovered from a lockdown-inspired dip to hit an all-time high last month. Annual UK house price growth picked up 3.7 per cent in August, according to Nationwide’s house price index. Prices rose two per cent month-on-month, after taking account of seasonal factors. The average UK house price rose to £224,123, up from [...]
UK house prices: Will the surge last or is it a bubble? September 2, 2020 UK house prices surged to an all-time high last month as pent-up lockdown demand and chancellor Rishi Sunak’s stamp duty cut stimulated the market. The average UK house price rose to a record £224,123 in August, up from £220,935 in July. Bombastic estate agents greeted the figures with glee, variously describing UK house prices as [...]
FTSE 100 reshuffle: ITV set to tumble from the big league September 1, 2020 The FTSE 100 is set for another dramatic reshuffle as the blue-chip index adapts to life during the coronavirus pandemic, with telly stalwart ITV almost certain to drop from the list and bargain retailer B&M likely to rise. FTSE Russell, which runs the index, will decide who’s up and who’s down according to prices at [...]
The City View: Wework’s Mathieu Proust on the future of the office September 1, 2020 Subscribe to The City View Podcast: Apple / Google / Spotify / RSS Today Andy Silvester steps in for Christian May, and talks to Wework’s UK boss Mathieu Proust. The property firm’s chief offers his opinions on the value of office space and flexibility, the future of London as a global hub and the outfit’s plans to rebound from a dire 2019. [...]
Rishi Sunak considers £30bn in post-Covid tax hikes August 30, 2020 Rishi Sunak is drawing up plans to implement £30bn in tax rises to plug the budget black hole left by the government’s coronavirus response. The measures reportedly under consideration include raising corporation tax and capital gains tax, breaking the pension triple lock guarantee and cutting foreign aid. The Sunday Times reports that this would include [...]
BP to sell London headquarters as work patterns shift August 30, 2020 BP is reportedly planning to sell its headquarters in central London, becoming the latest employer to signal a permanent shift in its working patterns. The oil giant employs 6,500 staff across its offices in the capital and in Sunbury-on-Thames in Surrey. It plans to rent back the building from the new owner for up to [...]
UK house prices to ‘hold firm’ in 2020 despite Covid-19 crisis August 27, 2020 UK house prices are set to hold firm for the rest of the year despite the looming recession and rising unemployment sparked by the coronavirus crisis. Annual house price growth has been sustained at 2.5 per cent as demand continues to outstrip supply, despite fears that the pandemic would cause property values to plunge. According [...]
New Look launches restructuring plan to slash rents August 26, 2020 High street retailer New Look has asked landlords to change the way it pays rent on most of its stores in a bid to secure a £40m cash injection. The fashion chain launched a company voluntary arrangement (CVA), which involves resetting 402 stores to turnover rent to align rent payments with future performance. The turnover [...]
Wall Street hits new highs again after US-China trade deal talks August 25, 2020 US markets continued their record run this evening, once again closing at new highs after the US and China reaffirmed their commitment to President Donald Trump’s much-touted trade deal. Although the gains were more modest than yesterday, the benchmark S&P 500 closed up 0.4 per cent at 3,443 points, while the tech-heavy Nasdaq punched up [...]