UK House Prices Slump 1.1% - Interest Rate Cut?

By: Nadeem_Walayat

The UK Housing Market fell sharply in November, registering a 1.1% price drop according to Britain's biggest mortgage lender, the Halifax. The British Pound fell sharply on the news and stocks soared in anticipation of deep cuts in UK interest rates as the Housing Market has its first consecutive decline for 3 months in a row since 1995. The credit freeze is now in its 5th month with the interbank rate soaring to 6.65% increasing the chance of an interest rate cut at today's Bank of England MPC Meeting.

The Market Oracle forecast as of 22nd August 07, is for UK interest rates to fall to 5% by September 2008, with the first cut scheduled to occur in January 2008. Given the sharp drop in the housing market and signs of a fast weakening economy, there is now an increased chance that the first interest rate cut will take place at today's Bank of England MPC Meeting i.e. a month earlier than originally forecast. However, UK inflation is expected to continue rising during the next few months, with the Market Oracle forecast for UK inflation to peak during January 2008 and then decline sharply to below 3% by November 2008 (RPI), which will ensure the Bank of England keeps cutting interest rates during 2008. .

The UK housing markets fast deterioration is expected to result in annualised UK House price inflation going negative for the first time since the early 1990's by April 2008, this is expected to be followed by a sharp fall in house prices as the buy to let sector rush for the exit to take advantage of the Uk capital gains tax change effective from 1st April 2008.

Further signs of the housing slump accelerating were illustrated by a sharp deterioration in the ability of houses to sell at auction with the number of sales falling from 97% in January 2007 to 71% by November 2007, despite cuts in the auction reserves as observed at a typical auction house.

Housing Market transactions are expected to take a further hit during December 2007, as the government's decision to expand the requirement for ALL UK Home Sellers to provide a Home Information Pack as of 14th December 07, will likely result in a big freeze on transactions hitting the UK housing market over the next few month. as fewer properties are put onto the market and thereby less transactions take place. Whilst this could be construed as being short-term supportive of house prices, it will hit the housing sector hard, which includes mortgage lenders and estate agents that could see as much as a 25% drop in business over a short space of time, and therefore the expectations are for further shocks in the housing and financial sector, this time focused on estate agencies.

The UK property market remains at historically high unaffordability levels as illustrated by the Market Oracle UK House Price Affordability Index. Therefore the trend is for a sustained drop in UK house prices over several more years as house prices falls have barely begun.

The Markets reaction to the increased probability of an interest rate cut today was for the British Pound to fall sharply to £/$2.02 down 9cents or 4.4% from its £/$2.11 peak just 3 weeks ago. The Stock market soared with the FTSE rising by more than 170 points to 6493, led by Shell and BP as crude oil rose. As the property market continues to weaken, investors will increasingly see the stock market as a better investment option during 2008 which is expected to result with stock market gains during 2008.

However UK growth is forecast to fall sharply during 2008 towards 1.5% and therefore stronger gains are expected in foreign markets or in sectors with a strong exposure to fast growing foreign markets, rather than in domestic orientated sectors.

Current Market Oracle Housing Market / Interest Rate and Inflation Forecasts:

By Nadeem Walayat
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Nadeem Walayat has over 20 years experience of trading, analysing and forecasting the financial markets, including one of few who both anticipated and Beat the 1987 Crash. Nadeem is the Editor of The Market Oracle, a FREE Daily Financial Markets Analysis & Forecasting online publication. We present in-depth analysis from over 100 experienced analysts on a range of views of the probable direction of the financial markets. Thus enabling our readers to arrive at an informed opinion on future market direction. http://www.marketoracle.co.uk

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