63GF Natwest.m 24

    RNS Number : 7975A
  HBOS PLC
  07 August 2008
   


    Halifax House Price Index
 National Index  July 2008


                                             All Houses, All Buyers Index (1983=100)
 Index (seasonally adjusted) 574.0      Monthly Change  -1.7%    Annual Change -8.8%
                          Standardised Average Price (seasonally adjusted)  �177,351


    Commenting, Suren Thiru, economist, said:
    "House prices fell by 1.7% in July. Pressure on householders' income, together with a very significant reduction in mortgage finance due
to the global financial markets crisis, is constraining potential house buyers' ability to enter the market. This is resulting in both lower
prices and activity levels.
    A solid labour market, low interest rates and a shortage of new houses continue to support the market. The labour market is the key
driver of the housing market and the number of people in employment is at a record high."


 Key Points
 * House prices fell by 1.7% in July.  This was smaller than the falls in both
 the previous two months - May (-2.5%) and June (-1.9%). 


 * The UK average price is more than one-third higher (34%) than five years
 ago.  The average price in July 2008, at �177,351, was �44,980 higher than in
 July 2003 when the average price was �132,371.  


 * House prices in July were 8.8% lower on an annual basis. UK average prices
 have returned to the level they were at in June 2006. 


 * The housing market is underpinned by a solid employment market and low
 interest rates. Our research shows that the labour market is the key driver
 of the housing market. The number of people in employment increased by 61,000
 over the three months to May compared with the previous quarter and by
 413,000 over the past year to a record 29.59 million. 


 * The average mortgage rate paid by all borrowers - i.e. the average rate on
 outstanding mortgage loans - fell by 21 basis points during the first half of
 2008 from 5.97% in Decembe



    The UK average price is more than one-third higher than five years ago
    The average price in July 2008 was �44,980 (34%) higher than in July 2003 and �104,888 (145%) higher than a decade ago in July 1998.  

    Annual house price inflation at -8.8% in July
    The annual rate of house price inflation - measured by the average price over the three latest months compared with the same period a
year earlier - was -8.8% in July.  UK average prices, at �177,351, have returned to where they stood in June 2006. 



    Falling real earnings and rapid fuel and food price inflation are squeezing discretionary incomes
    There has been a fall in 'real' earnings over the past year with average earnings increasing by 3.8% in the year to May compared to a
4.3% increase in the headline rate of retail price inflation. Rising food and fuel prices - which have increased by 11% and 14% respectively
over the past year - have also contributed to a reduction in the discretionary income available to households. (Source: ONS)

    Housing demand has fallen significantly
    The high level of average house prices in relation to earnings has made it difficult for potential house purchasers, particularly
first-time buyers, to enter the market. The decline in credit availability resulting from the crisis in the financial markets is further
constraining buyers. These factors, combined with the pinch on spending power, have significantly curbed housing demand, causing house
prices to fall.

    Housing market activity continues to decline
    The number of mortgages approved to finance house purchase in Quarter 2 2008 was 60% lower than in Quarter 2 2007. (Source: Bank of
England)

    Whilst both the number of new buyers interested in home purchase and agreed sales continued to fall, the pace of decline slowed for the
second consecutive month in June. (Source: RICS)

    Strong labour market and low mortgage rates support the housing market
    The labour market is the key driver of the housing market. The number of people in employment increased by 61,000 over the three months
to May compared with the previous quarter and by 413,000 over the past year to a record 29.59 million. 

    The average mortgage rate paid by all borrowers - i.e. the average rate on outstanding mortgage loans - fell by 21 basis points during
the first half of 2008 from 5.97% in December 2007 to 5.76% in June 2008. This decline happened despite a rise in the average mortgage rate
paid by new borrowers - from 5.77% in April to 5.91% in June - as many existing borrowers benefited from the effects of the reductions in
the Bank of England's key rate. (Source: Bank of England)

    Bank rate to stay unchanged for the next few months
    The clear slowdown in the UK economy should curb inflationary pressures over the medium term, eventually providing the Bank of England
with sufficient scope to lower interest rates. The MPC, however, is unlikely to do reduce rates whilst the current rate of consumer price
inflation continues to accelerate, moving further away from the government's 2% target. On balance, we expect the Bank rate to remain
unchanged at 5% for the remainder of 2008.  


This information is provided by RNS
The company news service from the London Stock Exchange
 
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