UK house prices down 2.9 per cent in a month, London’s drop 5.9 per cent August 18, 2014 After the great heating comes the cooling: according to the latest figures from Rightmove the property market is slowing down. House prices across England and Wales were down 2.9 per cent, constituting the biggest drop Rightmove has ever seen in August. London prices, forever ahead of the curve, fell by 5.9 per cent. Every borough in [...]
How cyber attacks could derail the fragile M&A boom August 18, 2014 IT WAS one of the darkest days for mergers and acquisitions (M&A) in Wall Street history. The collapse of five mega-deals earlier this month, for reasons ranging from a lack of board engagement to excessive regulatory interference, demonstrates the fragility of the current M&A boom. Already this year, 339 deals worth $428bn (£256bn) have collapsed [...]
London house prices continue to fall as cooling property market spurs rush to sell August 18, 2014 London house prices are falling for a third month in a row, according to a major property site, the latest sign of a groundswell of sellers flooding the market. New selling prices dropped 5.9 per cent between July and August, according to Rightmove. Although prices are still 10.3 per cent higher than in the [...]
A free market case for independence: Let’s make Scotland like Hong Kong August 17, 2014 In September, Scottish residents will vote in the independence referendum, following months of intense political debate between the Yes and No campaigns. Even statements presented as purely financial or economic in nature have not been based on proper facts or sound analysis. The Scottish National Party is pursuing an inherently emotional case, while the Westminster [...]
Scottish independence: Investment remains strong despite looming referendum, says report August 16, 2014 Despite concerns that the looming independence referendum has raised about Scotland's future, investment in the country remains strong. A report released by global property advisers Colliers International indicates that Scotland is actually receiving an increasing proportion of the UK's total investment. Called “Scottish Referendum: A property investor perspective”, It claims that rather than [...]
Zoopla enjoys record traffic after IPO debut August 14, 2014 ONLINE property giant Zoopla said yesterday that it saw traffic to its websites and apps jump by one-third in its first trading update since its £900m stock market float in June. The company, owner of PrimeLocation, SmartNewHomes and HomesOverseas, said it had an average of 45.5m monthly visits in the four months to 31 July, [...]
London Report: Putin’s Crimea comments help to calm FTSE August 14, 2014 THE FTSE yesterday rose after being bolstered by apparently conciliatory comments from Russian President Vladimir Putin on a visit to Crimea, as well as expectations for a continuation of ultra-loose monetary policy. On a trip to Crimea, the Ukrainian region annexed by Russia in March, Putin said his country would stand up for itself but [...]
Design your own holiday home in The Cotswolds August 14, 2014 It’s a stifling summer’s day in London and work is exhausting. You shut your eyes and imagine escaping to an idyllic rural retreat complete with picturesque villages, a smattering of good restaurants, pubs, and a vibrant social scene. You’ve effectively transported yourself to the Cotswolds. This fantasy of a tranquil home-away-from-home is what the owners [...]
London house prices: Housing market cools in capital with July sales drop and slower growth forecast August 14, 2014 London house sales dropped last month as the market cooled, calming fears of a housing bubble in the capital- a trend that’s expected to continue over the next 12 months. The data from the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors suggest the market is “going into reverse”, as sales fell for the third month in a [...]
Tottenham Hotspur pushed to top of House Price Premier League by spunky property market August 13, 2014 For those of you chomping at the bit for the Premier League to start this weekend, Nationwide has got a present for you. It’s an especially good gift if you’re also obsessed with house prices (come on, most of us are). Yes, it’s the House Price Premier League! The league is based on percentage [...]