Buoyant London market boosts CLS Holdings’ property values August 13, 2014 CLS Holdings has seen the value of its portfolio surge in the past six months on the back of the economic recovery and strong demand in the London property market. The FTSE 250 property group said pre-tax profits jumped 160 per cent to £72.6m in the first half to 30 June compared with the same [...]
The French property market continues in vogue August 13, 2014 With images of the crystal clear sea and glamour of the Cote d’Azur, the South of France is everything one looks for in a luxury escape. But securing a slice of heaven on the exclusive French coast no longer needs to be a distant dream. The strength of the sterling means that turning a short [...]
Drive your money further while navigating international payments August 13, 2014 Across the City, eyes have been watching the steady rise of the pound against the euro over the last 12 months. With a stream of positive economic data coming in since Q4 of 2013, sterling has been slowly strengthening month by month, hitting a peak of €1.27 against the euro and $1.72 against the dollar [...]
London Central Portfolio plays down property growth slowdown as luxury market rises August 12, 2014 A leading property asset manager and expert on central London property has dismissed concerns over slowing growth, after new figures reveal growing appetite in the capital’s luxury housing market. London Central Portfolio (LCP) chief executive Naomi Heaton said yesterday that its analysis of Land Registry figures for the second quarter showed that sales volumes in [...]
City Moves for 13 August 2014 | Who’s switching jobs August 12, 2014 EY The professional services firm has made several appointments. Jay Nibbe has been made global vice chair for tax. He joined the firm in 1985 and was mostly recently the chair of EY’s global accounts committee and deputy area managing partner for Europe, Middle East, India and Africa. Uschi Schreiber (pictured) has been appointed global [...]
How to position your portfolio for the coming base rate hike – Investment Comment August 12, 2014 Hamlet wasn’t talking about the next move for interest rates when he said, “if it be not now, yet it will come – the readiness is all.” But the advice is sound. Although today’s quarterly inflation report may reveal some clues, we still don’t know when the first hike in UK base rates will [...]
As London house prices show signs of cooling, are fears of a bubble overplayed? August 12, 2014 Rob Wood, chief UK economist at Berenberg Bank, says Yes. Rapid rises in house prices would be a threat if they turned into an uncontrollable bubble accompanied by a rapid debt build-up. So it is good news that London house price inflation seems to be slowing down. And that slowdown has its roots in action [...]
London house prices to finally cool down as homeowners rush to sell properties August 11, 2014 The frothy London housing market is likely to come off the boil in the months ahead, with owners rushing to sell their properties following the recent surge in prices and buyers increasingly reticent to match the escalating valuations. The number of people looking to sell homes in the capital has climbed by nearly a third, [...]
Online retailers to reap £740m as superfast fibre broadband rolls out across UK August 10, 2014 Superfast broadband is set to support Britain’s online retailers by boosting sales by as much as £740m a year, according to research carried out by the Centre for Economics and Business Research (CEBR). British shoppers already on superfast internet spend an average of 3.1 per cent, or £23 per year, more than shoppers on slower [...]
As UK house prices soar, sales hit highs last seen in boom years August 8, 2014 Housing sales are back at levels last seen at the hight of the boom in 2007, LSL Property Services said today. Prices have been surging over the past two years, particularly in London. And the number of sales has now caught up with the booming demand for property. In July, 90,000 homes were sold in [...]