UK Mortgage Approvals Fall Slightly; Consumer Credit Drops

RTTNews | 157 ngày trước
UK Mortgage Approvals Fall Slightly; Consumer Credit Drops

(RTTNews) - UK mortgage approvals for house purchase decreased slightly in February, as changes in stamp duty from April 1 softened housing market activity, while consumer credit decreased from the last month, official data showed on Monday.

Mortgage approvals for house purchases decreased 600 to 65,500 in February, the Bank of England reported. This followed a decrease of 400 in January. Approvals were forecast to rise to 66,000.

The 'effective' interest rate, which is the actual interest paid on newly drawn mortgages, increased by 2 basis points to 4.53 percent in February.

Consumer credit declined to GBP 1.4 billion from GBP 1.7 billion in the previous month.

Net borrowing of mortgage debt fell by GBP 0.9 billion to GBP 3.3 billion, following an increase of GBP 0.8 billion in January. Net mortgage lending growth was broadly unchanged at 1.9 percent.

Meanwhile, gross lending increased to GBP 24.3 billion in February from GBP 21.7 billion in January. This was the highest since November 2022.

Further, data showed that companies repaid a net GBP 0.5 billion of loans, following a net borrowing of GBP 2.4 billion in January.

Today's data provide some green shoots of households starting to save less and spend a little more freely, Capital Economics economist Ashley Webb said. However, one month does not make a trend and GDP will probably remain restrained in the near term, the economist noted.

read more
UK Construction Sector Continues To Shrink

UK Construction Sector Continues To Shrink

The UK construction sector contracted for the eighth consecutive month in August due to marked reductions in the housing and civil engineering works, survey data published by S&P Global showed on Thursday. The construction Purchasing Managers' Index posted 45.5 in August, up from 44.3 in July. However, the score remained well below the 50.0 mark indicating sharp fall in construction output.
RTTNews | 7h 5phút trước
UK Mortgage Approvals Rise To 6-Month High

UK Mortgage Approvals Rise To 6-Month High

UK mortgage approvals increased to the highest in six months in July but secured lending decreased to a two month low, official data showed Monday. Mortgage approvals for house purchases, an indicator of future borrowing, rose by 800 to 65,400 in July, the Bank of England said. This was the highest total since January, when approvals hit 65,775. Approvals were forecast to drop to 64,000.
RTTNews | 3 ngày trước
UK House Price Growth Softens In August

UK House Price Growth Softens In August

UK house prices logged a slower pace of growth in August due to stretched affordability, the Nationwide Building Society said Monday. House prices increased 2.1 percent on a yearly basis in August, slower than the 2.4 percent rise seen in July. On a monthly basis, house prices edged down 0.1 percent, in contrast to the 0.5 percent increase in the previous month.
RTTNews | 3 ngày trước
UK Inflation Hits 18-Month High

UK Inflation Hits 18-Month High

UK consumer price inflation accelerated to an 18-month high in July on airfares and food prices, suggesting that the Bank of England is likely to delay further easing. The consumer price index posted an annual growth of 3.8 percent after rising 3.6 percent in June, the Office for National Statistics reported Wednesday.
RTTNews | 15 ngày trước
UK GDP Rises More Than Expected

UK GDP Rises More Than Expected

The UK economy expanded more than expected in the second quarter but the overall growth softened as US frontloading propelled growth at the start of the year. Gross domestic product expanded 0.3 percent in the second quarter largely driven by growth in the service sector, the Office for National Statistics reported Thursday. Although the rate was stronger than the expected growth of 0.1 pe
RTTNews | 21 ngày trước
UK Labor Market Cools In Q2

UK Labor Market Cools In Q2

The U.K. labor market softened in the second quarter as wage growth eased, the unemployment rate held steady at a four-year high and job vacancies continued to decline sharply, official data revealed on Tuesday. The ILO jobless rate held steady at 4.7 percent in the second quarter, figures from the Office for National Statistics revealed and was in line with expectations.
RTTNews | 23 ngày trước
UK Job Placements Decline Sharply On Weaker Confidence & Budget Pressures

UK Job Placements Decline Sharply On Weaker Confidence & Budget Pressures

UK job placements logged a steep decline in July due to weaker confidence around the economic outlook and rising employment costs, monthly data from S&P Global showed Monday. Permanent staff appointments declined sharply in July and temp billings registered its biggest fall in five months, the KPMG/REC Report on Jobs said.
RTTNews | 24 ngày trước
Bank Of England Cuts Rate In Tight Vote

Bank Of England Cuts Rate In Tight Vote

The Bank of England reduced its benchmark interest rate in a close call on Thursday suggesting that the monetary easing cycle is nearing an end as policymakers became more concerned about persistent inflation. The Monetary Policy Committee, headed by BoE Governor Andrew Bailey, voted 5-4 to cut the bank rate by 25 basis points to 4.00 percent.
RTTNews | 28 ngày trước