UK Economics Update Budget 2010 – Stamp duty measures ignore the real issues While there can be little doubt that they will be popular among aspiring first-time buyers, it is fairly clear that the Chancellor’s stamp duty measures do nothing to resolve the real problems facing... 24th March 2010 · 1 min read
UK Housing Market Update Can ex-rental property rebalance the housing market? We believe that a large pool of rented property will be put up for sale this year. While that might initially result in higher sales, we doubt that the mortgage market will allow demand to keep pace... 24th March 2010 · 1 min read
UK Housing Market Data Response BBA Mortgage Lending (Feb.) Mortgage lending remained in the doldrums in February. While a strong rebound in March cannot be ruled out, the data raise further question marks about whether January’s dip reflected one-off factors... 23rd March 2010 · 1 min read
UK Housing Market Data Response FSA Mortgage Lending Statistics (Q4) There was good news and bad news in the latest FSA lending data. On a positive note, arrears and possessions both fell in 2009Q4. But the data on mortgage lending criteria offered little encouragement... 16th March 2010 · 1 min read
UK Housing Market Data Response RICS Lettings Survey (Jan.) According to the RICS, downwards pressure on rents is easing thanks to a reduced level of competition for lettings. But, unlike respondents to this survey, we are sceptical that the fall in supply... 16th March 2010 · 1 min read
UK Housing Market Update How much has QE pushed up house prices? The main success of the Bank of England’s policy of quantitative easing (QE) has been the recent rise in asset prices. However, QE appears to have played only an indirect role in the housing market... 11th March 2010 · 1 min read
UK Economics Update How much has QE pushed up house prices? The main success of the Bank of England’s policy of quantitative easing (QE) has been the recent rise in asset prices. However, QE appears to have played only an indirect role in the housing market... 11th March 2010 · 1 min read
UK Economics Update How much has QE pushed up house prices? The main success of the Bank of England’s policy of quantitative easing (QE) has been the recent rise in asset prices. However, QE appears to have played only an indirect role in the housing market... 11th March 2010 · 1 min read
China Economics Update No rush to tighten Relatively mild increases in consumer and property prices in the first two months of the year relax pressure for immediate policy tightening in China. 11th March 2010 · 1 min read
UK Housing Market Update Are structural supply shortages supporting house prices? We are not convinced that the recent recovery is evidence that long-term supply shortages are underpinning UK house prices. Admittedly, Sweden and Australia also suffer supply shortages and house... 8th March 2010 · 1 min read
UK Economics Weekly Is the housing recovery faltering? Last week brought further tentative indications that the recovery in the housing market might be losing a little steam. Both the Halifax and Nationwide recorded falls in house prices in February while... 8th March 2010 · 1 min read
UK Data Response Halifax House Prices (Feb.) The decline in the Halifax house price index is further evidence that the housing market recovery took a backward step at the turn of the year. It is possible that temporary factors mean that recent... 4th March 2010 · 1 min read
