Australia & New Zealand Economics Update New Zealand - New mortgage restrictions raise rate cut chances The Reserve Bank of New Zealand’s (RBNZ) plan to tighten its macro-prudential polices in order to tame house price inflation in Auckland could be another sign that it is preparing the ground for a... 13th May 2015 · 1 min read
US Housing Market Chart Pack Promising signs from the mortgage market The sharp rise in home purchase mortgage applications, to a two-year high in April, was an encouraging sign that the market may finally be turning a corner after years of stagnation. Admittedly... 12th May 2015 · 1 min read
US Housing Market Update What’s holding first-time buyers back? There is no evidence to suggest that homeownership aspirations amongst young households have diminished in recent years. And some of the cyclical factors holding back demand have also eased sharply... 11th May 2015 · 1 min read
UK Housing Market Data Response Halifax House Prices (Apr.) The latest rise in the Halifax house price index might not be quite as strong as it initially seems. The underlying trend in the pace of house price growth actually eased a little. Nevertheless, it... 8th May 2015 · 1 min read
UK Housing Market Chart Pack Active housing demand depressed despite fall in mortgage rates A few indicators suggest that the recovery in housing market activity is losing some traction. But with mortgage rates at record lows, employment at record highs and house price expectations rising... 7th May 2015 · 1 min read
US Housing Market Data Response Mortgage Delinquencies (Q1) The latest decline in the share of households suffering mortgage payment problems provides more evidence that the housing market is slowly normalising. To the extent that it encourages lenders to ease... 6th May 2015 · 1 min read
UK Housing Market Focus Are high construction costs holding back housebuilding? The latest dip in housing starts has been accompanied by a sharp rise in construction costs. But it is shortages of labour and materials, rather than an increase in their costs, which seems to be... 6th May 2015 · 1 min read
US Housing Market Data Response Mortgage Applications (Apr.) The sharp rise in home purchase mortgage applications in April suggests that the market could finally be turning a corner after several years of stagnation. It’s early days yet, but the conditions... 6th May 2015 · 1 min read
US Housing Market Data Response CoreLogic House Prices (Mar.) Although the CoreLogic index of house prices surged again in March, we suspect that it is somewhat overstating the true strength of the market. 5th May 2015 · 1 min read
UK Housing Market Data Response Mortgage Lending (Mar.) Mortgage approvals for house purchased flatlined in March according to the Bank of England. Some buyers may be holding back to make use of the various home buying inducements currently being promised... 1st May 2015 · 1 min read
Australia & New Zealand Economics Weekly The RBA’s dilemma laid bare The Reserve Bank of Australia can’t have its cake and eat it. The only way to ensure that the Australian dollar weakens, which would support the real economy, is to reduce interest rates further, but... 1st May 2015 · 1 min read
UK Housing Market Data Response Land Registry Repeat Sales Index (Mar.) The Land Registry reported a not insignificant fall of 0.8% in house prices in March. While that may appear to contradict yesterday’s far stronger Nationwide report, looking through the monthly... 30th April 2015 · 1 min read
UK Housing Market Data Response Land Registry Repeat Sales Index (Mar.) The Land Registry reported a not insignificant fall of 0.8% in house prices in March. While that may appear to contradict yesterday’s far stronger Nationwide report, looking through the monthly... 30th April 2015 · 1 min read
UK Housing Market Data Response Nationwide House Prices (Apr.) A strong 1% rise in house prices during April brings the Nationwide into line with other measures which show that prices have been picking up since the start of the year. Record high employment... 29th April 2015 · 1 min read
US Housing Market Data Response Homeownership & Vacancy Rates / Case-Shiller (Q1/Feb.) Although today’s data suggest house price growth slowed slightly at the start of the year, they support our view that rental inflation could soon reach a 25-year high. 28th April 2015 · 1 min read
UK Housing Market Data Response BBA Mortgage Lending (Mar.) According to the BBA, mortgage approvals for house purchase increased at the fastest monthly rate for over a year in March. Despite the slowdown in GDP growth in the first quarter, the economic... 28th April 2015 · 1 min read
