US Housing Market Data Response Mortgage Applications (Jan.) The further drop in 30-year mortgage interest rates, to an 18-month low of 3.8%, is starting to be reflected in mortgage applications. Refinancing activity is set for a sustained boom, while the lift... 4th February 2015 · 1 min read
US Housing Market Data Response CoreLogic House Prices (Dec.) House price pressures came off the boil at the end of 2014, with the year-on-year rate of house price inflation at or around 5% during the final four months of the year. With the supply of homes for... 3rd February 2015 · 1 min read
UK Economics Weekly Housing market to revive just in time for the election While last week’s GDP figures confirmed that the recovery lost momentum at the tail end of 2014, we expect it to regain pace soon. One helpful development in that respect should be an end to the mini... 30th January 2015 · 1 min read
UK Economics Update Household Borrowing Monitor (Jan.) December’s household borrowing figures provided some tentative signs that we havenow reached a turning point in housing market activity. And, given the strongeconomic backdrop, household borrowing... 30th January 2015 · 1 min read
UK Housing Market Data Response Mortgage Lending (Dec.) In contrast to the earlier BBA data, the Bank of England reported a rise in approvals for house purchase in December. With mortgage rates at record lows, and consumer confidence at seven-year highs... 30th January 2015 · 1 min read
US Housing Market Data Response Homeownership and Vacancy Rates (Q4) The homeownership rate fell again at the end of last year, but the decade-long decline in the share of the population who own their home may now be drawing to an end. In the meantime, however, supply... 29th January 2015 · 1 min read
US Housing Market Update Next refinancing boom won’t be as big as the last The recent decline in mortgage interest rates will trigger a refinancing boom that will span the first half of 2015. But it will be more modest than the one in 2012, and the benefits in terms of lower... 29th January 2015 · 1 min read
UK Housing Market Data Response Nationwide (Jan.) & Land Registry (Dec.) House Prices House price growth was stable in the first month of 2015, as a fall in housing demand has been matched by limited supply. But there are signs that demand has picked-up recently, and we expect gains... 29th January 2015 · 1 min read
US Housing Market Data Response Case-Shiller Prices & New Home Sales (Nov./Dec.) The strong rise in new home sales in December, which followed an encouraging gain in existing home sales in the same month, means that housing market supply conditions are tightening. That’s putting... 27th January 2015 · 1 min read
UK Housing Market Data Response BBA Mortgage Lending (Dec.) The number of mortgages approved for house purchase dipped again in December, and ended the year 28% lower than the beginning. But record low mortgage rates, the reforms to stamp duty, the return of... 27th January 2015 · 1 min read
Commodities Update Outlook for US homebuilding is positive for lumber Stronger economic growth in the US and rising wages should provide a platform for a rebound in the number of housing starts this year, boosting the price of lumber. 26th January 2015 · 1 min read
US Housing Market Data Response Housing Starts (Dec.) The rise in housing starts in December, as well as the upward revisions to the previous two months’ data, suggests that homebuilding was gathering momentum in the closing stages of 2014. The latest... 21st January 2015 · 1 min read
Global Economic Outlook Oiling the wheels Global growth has slowed in recent months, but we still expect world GDP to expand by just over 3% this year and next. The slump in oil prices should have a positive impact overall, even though it... 21st January 2015 · 1 min read
UK Housing Market Outlook House prices to receive boost from stamp duty reform Housing market activity dropped sharply in the second half of 2014 as fears of a rise in interest rates, high housing valuations and a lack of stock on the market constrained demand. But several... 21st January 2015 · 1 min read
Latin America Economics Update Brazil’s housing market starting to cool Good news remains thin on the ground in Brazil, but we take some comfort from the fact that the country’s frothy housing market has so far managed to avoid a hard landing. It’s still early days, but... 20th January 2015 · 1 min read
Europe Economic Outlook Crisis 2.0? The onset of deflation in the euro-zone and the recent developments in Greece have served as powerful reminders of the lasting effects of the region’s debt crisis. The ECB will seek to tackle... 20th January 2015 · 1 min read
