In graphs: Stamp duty rises by over £900m in 12 months June 20, 2014 A Londoner making his or her way up the housing ladder can expect to have paid £38,000 in stamp duty between 1998 and 2014, according to new research by Lloyds Banking Group. The data also shows, as this paper reported, that stamp duty was up over £900m in the last 12 months. These are big [...]
Foxtons share price falls as revenues drop 12 per cent January 27, 2015 The figures Not a good day for Foxtons shareholders. Shares fell 2.4 per cent in early trading as the upmarket estate agent – known for its trendy Minis and even trendier, bar-like offices – has posted fourth quarter results showing revenues fell 12 per cent in the three months to the end of December. That was [...]
London house prices: Unseasonable heat in the capital’s housing market January 19, 2015 After a muted end to 2014, London house prices grew 0.9 per cent in January, compared to just 0.2 per cent in the first month of 2014. 10 of the 32 boroughs surveyed by Rightmove reported asking prices having dropped in January, with the positive score for the region pushed up by some top performers. [...]
Maximum excitement on the CWC with sporting index February 12, 2015 WITH nearly 20 specials markets for England’s Cricket World Cup opener against Australia, Sporting Index really does have something for everyone. As well as total wides, total sixes and total fours, there are also unique markets like 50-Ups, Ton-Ups, Zero Tolerance and Full English. 50-Ton-Ups are a prediction on the aggregate total of players’ runs [...]
London barometer January 29, 2015 Sales Director, Douglas & Gordon At the end of 2014, more offers were agreed than the same time last year despite a 20 per cent reduction in applicants. Pragmatic purchasers seized the opportunity to secure good value for money and, interestingly, fall-throughs were at a 12 month low. As a direct impact of stamp duty [...]
Housing market surges in March as fresh loan regulation looms April 24, 2014 MARCH was a boom month for the housing market according to a range of research released today, and ahead of the oncoming change in regulation with the mortgage market review. According to estate agents Barnard Marcus, London sales roared back from a winter slumber, with the number of transactions up by 34 per cent from [...]
Ladies who don’t lunch: Sue Round talks fund management, sentimentality and being broke March 26, 2015 Buongiorno signora!” bellows the exuberant waiter at Bolton’s, an Italian tucked away in an unassuming corner near Leadenhall Market. “Hello, hellooo” comes the response. I know Sue Round has arrived, even before I see her. She greets me warmly, as if we’ve known each other for years. In fact, I’ve met Sue only once before [...]
Ed Miliband’s conference speech: Here’s what you need to know September 23, 2014 Ed Miliband has delivered his last speech to a Labour conference before the 2015 general election. The Labour leader hopes his six-point plan will be enough to entice voters to give his party the keys to Downing Street and reverse his low personal ratings. The plan is intended to be implemented over 10 years. Here [...]
Reasons to whine: After the Bordeaux wine market collapse, optimism is creeping back February 19, 2015 Imagine a financial market where prices have collapsed by more than 30 per cent in the past three years, where a hatful of investment companies have gone to the wall and investors are reportedly nursing losses of more than £100m. It sounds like a full blown crisis, doesn’t it? But this isn’t Chinese equities or [...]
Sir Philip Green breaks apart his Arcadia empire with the sale of BHS January 25, 2015 Retail tycoon Sir Philip Green has decided to break apart one of Britain's biggest retail empires by selling British Home Stores (BHS). Green purchased the business, which sells mostly clothing and household items, from the Storehouse conglomerate in 2000 for £200m. It now has a significant presence on high streets across the UK, with [...]