Mortgage turbulence continues as HSBC pulls deals and Nationwide raises rates – business live
HSBC temporarily removes mortgage products for new customers, as borrowers face higher rates HSBC temporarily withdraws mortgage deals for new borrowers The UK’s cost of living crisis has driven down sales on the high streets, which turned negative for the first time in more than two years Total like-for-like retail sales, combining in-store and online, […]
Biggest drop in UK annual house prices since 2009, with market ‘facing strengthening headwinds’ – business live
Nationwide reports that UK annual house price growth fell to -3.4% in May, from -2.7% in April, but hopes for a ‘soft landing’ Chris Druce, senior research analyst at estate agent Knight Frank, says further interest rate increases will act as a ‘brake’ on the housing market: “With fewer transactions at the start of the […]
Bank of England chief warns of further interest rate hikes if firms raise prices – business live
Andrew Bailey appeals to businesses to avoid price rises because higher inflation ‘hurts least well-off in society’ Stock markets are in the red again, with the FTSE 100 index down 67 points, or 0.9%, at 7,431. Germany’s Dax has lost 133 points, or 0.9%, to 15,076 while France’s CAC fell 65 points, or 0.9% to […]
UK housing market ‘resilient’ as prices rise 1.1% in February; Greggs warns of rising costs – business live
House prices rose unexpectedly last month, but cautions that “the underlying activity continues to indicate a general downward trend” UK shoppers slash spending as price rises and energy bills bite Greggs has reported that its move to open some bakeries later into the evening is paying off. Greggs extended the opening hours of 500 shops […]
Weaker UK economic outlook weighs on housing market; Pret hikes worker salaries – business live
Rolling coverage of the latest economic and financial news, as Taylor Wimpey says weaker economic backdrop is hitting the near-term outlook Bank of England boss signals interest rates may have peaked More London-listed companies could choose to follow CRH’s plan and shift their primary stock market listing to New York, predicts Russ Mould, investment director […]
UK property asking prices stagnating, lifting hopes of softer landing for housing market – business live
UK property asking prices rose by just £14 in February, weakest gain on record, Rightmove reports, with sellers ‘more realistic’ about what property is worth Loss of nearly 15,000 UK retail jobs a ‘brutal start to 2023’, report says In the City, shares in retail group Frasers are leading the FTSE 100 risers after it […]
UK house prices ‘stable in January’; anger as BP profits soar to record – business live
British house prices were unchanged in January, Halifax reports, but annual growth slowed to a three-year low of 1.9% Danny Blanchflower, a former Bank of England policy maker, has predicted that “collapsing” house prices will push the UK central bank into a rapid pivot toward interest rate cuts. Blanchflower, who is now a professor of […]
‘Marked slowdown’ in UK housing market amid political and economic uncertainty – business live
Housebuilder Barratt says ‘political and economic uncertainty’ hit the housing market JD Sports has also predicted its profits will be towards the top end of expectations, following a jump in sales over Christmas. JD Sports’ revenues grew by over 10% in the 22 weeks to 31 December 2022, accelerating to more than 20% in the […]
UK house prices fall as cost of living crisis and higher interest rates slow housing market – business live
Halifax reports that average UK house prices fell 1.5% in December, the fourth monthly drop in a row, pulling annual growth down to 2% Energy news: Shell says it expects to pay around $2bn over the fourth quarter of last year, due to windfall taxes in the European Union and the UK. The oil and […]