Hunt to discuss support with mortgage lenders as repayments crisis looms June 20, 2023 Chancellor Jeremy Hunt is set to meet with mortgage lenders to discuss support for homeowners as a repayments crisis looms. Various calls have been made for the government to step in to help struggling borrowers – but Hunt said ministers would not provide financial support which would fuel inflation. Average costs for a two-year fixed-rate [...]
Home insurance prices forecast to rise by a third as firms hike premiums October 29, 2023 Home insurance prices are forecast to jump by more than a third in the next two years as the industry hikes premiums to keep up with the cost of claims, according to new research. Insurers posted their worst net combined ratio – measuring claims and costs as a proportion of premiums – in three decades [...]
UK house price growth slows to 1.9 per cent in May July 19, 2023 The average price of a UK house cost £286,000 in May, according to new government data, with the figure being £6,0000 up on 12 months ago – but £7,000 below its September peak. Average UK house prices increased by 1.9 per cent in the 12 months to May 2023, down from a revised 3.2 per [...]
Why investors will be paying close attention to the Bank of Japan in 2024 December 26, 2023 If Japanese investors change their behaviour meaningfully, already nervous markets could have a huge dose of uncertainty thrown in too.
OBR downgrades UK growth prospects as higher interest rates bite November 22, 2023 The Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) has downgraded its growth forecasts for the UK economy over the next couple of years as higher interest rates bite.
Brokers predict ‘mortgage price war’ as lenders including HSBC and Nationwide cut rates again August 9, 2023 Brokers have suggested there could be a “mortgage price war” as lenders continue to reduce rates amid hopes inflation is finally on the way down. Nationwide reduced prices on some of its fixed products by up to 0.55 percentage points while HSBC reduced rates by up to 0.2 percentage points. TSB also lowered rates by [...]
What is going on with London house prices? It’s messy, but green shoots are appearing April 22, 2024 After a challenging few years green shoots appear to be emerging in London’s property market.
Moving markets: What’s shaping the FTSE 100 today November 14, 2023 Chinese bank loan data and UK jobs numbers will shape much of the FTSE 100 and markets action this morning
IMF ditches UK recession call and lifts GDP growth from bottom of G7 May 23, 2023 The International Monetary Fund (IMF) today joined the Office for Budget Responsibility and Bank of England in admitting they were wrong to forecast the UK will suffer a tough recession this year. The globe’s lender of last resort in fresh forecasts hiked its gross domestic product expectations in 2023 to 0.4 per cent. It previously [...]
Eurozone avoids a recession – but the full impact of rate hikes is yet to be felt January 30, 2024 The eurozone avoided a recession at the end of last year, but sluggish performances from the bloc's largest economies ensured that growth remained elusive.