Global Economics Update Assessing the effects of an extreme war scenario In this Update, we explore an extreme scenario in which the Iran war escalates beyond the assumptions in our published baseline and adverse scenarios. With Brent crude jumping higher and staying at... 14th May 2026 · 7 mins read
UK Housing Market Update UK RICS Residential Market Survey (Apr. 2026) The recent plunge in buyer sentiment triggered by the rise in mortgage rates since the start of the Iran appeared to stabilise in April. Even so, April’s RICS survey continues to suggest that the... 14th May 2026 · 3 mins read
UK Commercial Property Update Residential assets have a bright future Tight supply means residential assets will see the strongest rental growth of all sectors over the next few years. And, with the costs of maintaining a home rising, house price expectations subdued... 13th May 2026 · 4 mins read
UK Housing Market Update Big falls in nominal house prices unlikely, even in adverse scenario Despite its recent resilience, house price growth will probably slow over the coming months as the drag from higher mortgage rates triggered by the Iran war continues to grow. But big outright falls... 13th May 2026 · 5 mins read
UK Commercial Property Update Multifamily build-to-rent supply to recover from 2028 High financing and construction costs, combined with significant delays from the Building Safety Act, meant multifamily build-to-rent completions saw a 28% y/y decline in 2025. A thin pipeline... 29th April 2026 · 4 mins read
UK Economics Update Upside risks to our forecast for household bank deposits to ease Given the fall in households’ real incomes will mean households have less cash to save, we expect the monthly flow into bank deposits to ease in our baseline scenario. But if we are wrong, it is... 29th April 2026 · 3 mins read
UK Housing Market Update One-year rent freeze could lead to higher rents further ahead While a one-year rent freeze would temporarily suppress rents for households currently in rental contracts, a further squeeze of landlords’ possible returns risks exacerbating the already tight supply... 28th April 2026 · 4 mins read
UK Housing Market Update How far will the Iran war push up UK homebuilding costs? A renewed rise in homebuilding construction costs due to the jump in energy prices since the start of the Iran war will only further constrain homebuilders’ profits and housing starts. This poses some... 27th April 2026 · 5 mins read
UK Economics Update What does the Iran war mean for UK loan arrears? While higher unemployment and mortgage rates due to the Iran war suggest the share of loans in arrears will rise over the next few years, even in an adverse scenario it will remain low relative to... 16th April 2026 · 4 mins read
UK Housing Market Update UK RICS Residential Market Survey (Mar. 2026) After a steady start to the year for the housing market, March’s RICS housing market survey suggests that the rise in mortgage rates since the start of the Iran war is continuing to take an... 9th April 2026 · 3 mins read
UK Housing Market Update UK RICS Residential Market Survey (Feb. 2026) February’s RICS housing market survey suggests that the events in the Middle East are dampening buyer sentiment and appear to have tempered the strengthening in the housing market at the start of this... 12th March 2026 · 3 mins read
UK Housing Market Update How could the Middle East conflict hit UK housing? The possibility of fewer interest rate cuts than we expect, or even rate hikes, and the possible hit to the economy from the surge in energy prices due to the conflict in the Middle East risks... 11th March 2026 · 6 mins read
Commodities Update Strategic reserves are no substitute for an open Strait A record-breaking release of emergency oil reserves could cushion a lack of supply from the Middle East and provide some relief to oil prices. However, this would prove temporary with prices likely to... 11th March 2026 · 4 mins read
Global Economics Update Scenarios for the Iran war & the macro impact This note assesses the macro and commodity‑market implications of three potential scenarios for the Iran war. In the most benign – a severe but short‑lived conflict – the effects on GDP, inflation and... 10th March 2026 · 7 mins read
Global Economics Update The consequences of the Middle East conflict The global economic impact of conflict in the Middle East will hinge on its effect on energy markets. If oil stays near $70-$80 per barrel, DM inflation will be only about 0.2-0.3 percentage points... 2nd March 2026 · 8 mins read
UK Housing Market Update UK RICS Residential Market Survey (Jan. 2026) The green shoots of recovery indicated by January’s RICS housing market survey support other evidence that suggests the economy strengthened at the start of the year. And it lends some tentative... 12th February 2026 · 3 mins read
