UK Data Response Halifax House Prices (Mar.) The rise in the Halifax house price index in March suggests that February’s drop was not the start of a new downward trend. However, with market conditions now loosening, mortgage lending criteria... 8th April 2010 · 1 min read
UK Data Response Halifax House Prices (Mar.) Surveys of house price expectations, although weakening, are yet to signal the renewed falls that we are forecasting for the second half of this year. However, their record in anticipating price... 8th April 2010 · 1 min read
UK Housing Market Chart Pack Weak activity suggests that confidence is still fragile (Apr 10) The fact that activity measures showed little, if any, recovery last month suggests that the weather may have been a less significant distortion to January’s data than was initially assumed. Although... 31st March 2010 · 1 min read
Japan Data Response Pay & Housing Starts (Feb), SME & Manuf. PMI (Mar) Today’s data on labour cash earnings and housing starts in February continued this week’s run of generally disappointing news on the Japanese economy. The timelier Shoko Chukin survey for March did at... 31st March 2010 · 1 min read
UK Data Response Nationwide House Prices (Mar.) February’s surprise drop in the Nationwide house price index was not repeated, suggesting that the recovery in house prices still has some life. However, with mortgage lending remaining subdued in... 30th March 2010 · 1 min read
UK Data Response Nationwide House Prices (Mar.) February’s surprise drop in the Nationwide house price index was not repeated, suggesting that the recovery in house prices still has some life. However, with mortgage lending remaining subdued in... 30th March 2010 · 1 min read
UK Data Response Mortgage Lending (Feb.) Although, perhaps, still artificially weak following the poor weather and the end of the previous stamp duty holiday, today’s mortgage lending data do not inspire confidence that last year’s housing... 29th March 2010 · 1 min read
UK Data Response Mortgage Lending (Feb.) Surveys of house price expectations, although weakening, are yet to signal the renewed falls that we are forecasting for the second half of this year. However, their record in anticipating price... 29th March 2010 · 1 min read
UK Housing Market Data Response Land Registry Repeat Sales Index (Feb.) With January’s slump in housing market activity showing little sign of being reversed and both the labour market and affordability deteriorating, February’s fall in the Land Registry house price index... 26th March 2010 · 1 min read
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
