-Rightmove
The Conference Board Leading Economic Index rose 0.2% in January, following zero growth in the preceding month. The CB's measure of current economic activity climbed 0.1% in January to 105.1 after the 0.2% increase a month earlier. The data suggested that economic growth in the UK will continue at a moderate pace and is unlikely to accelerate in the near term.
In the meantime, UK average asking house prices climbed 1% between February and March, the slowest growth since 2012 but still close to the June 2014 all-time high, according to the Rightmove House Price Index survey. The average asking price of homes coming up for sale grew by 2,748 pounds to 281,752 pounds – just 30 pounds below the peak reached last June 2014. The annual rate of increase declined to 5.4%, whereas first-time buyer properties are priced 7.6% higher than a year ago. According to the latest Halifax survey, UK house prices fell 0.3% between January and February but less volatile underlying quarterly figure rose 2.6% , the most since September 2014. Mortgage provider Nationwide reported earlier in March that the average asking price of properties had dropped 0.1% between January and February. On an annual basis, house price inflation slowed to 5.7% in February from 6.8% a month before, the sixth month of price growth moderation.
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