Latest news with #rise
The Herald Scotland
10 hours ago
- Business
- The Herald Scotland
Home sales jump by a quarter month-on-month in May following April slump
Stamp duty discounts became less generous for some homebuyers from April, with people rushing to complete deals before the deadline. Stamp duty applies in England and Northern Ireland. HMRC's report said: 'The increase in transactions for May follows decreased transactions for April, which were likely brought forward into March to take advantage of the higher thresholds.' Tom Bill, head of UK residential research at Knight Frank, said: 'Housing transactions are still clambering back to normal levels after the stamp duty cliff-edge earlier this year.' He added: 'One thing slowing down the process is the vast quantity of stock on the market, which means asking prices need to be kept realistic to trigger activity. 'At this halfway point in the year, the tariff and stamp duty chaos are largely behind us, but tax rise speculation ahead of the Budget could see some buyer hesitation creep back in.' Nick Leeming, chairman of Jackson-Stops, said: 'In the current market, it's essential for sellers to remember there is always demand for a sensibly-priced property.' Nathan Emerson, chief executive officer of property professionals' body Propertymark, said: 'We have seen positivity regarding the number of properties coming to the market.' Richard Donnell, executive director at Zoopla, said data from the website indicates that 'new sales are being agreed at the fastest rate for four years, as more homes for sale means more buyers in the market, with the stamp duty changes in the distant past in the minds of home buyers'. He said: 'The market remains on track for 1.15 million sales in 2025, up 5% on 2024 levels as more households move home.' Amy Reynolds, head of sales at London-based estate agent Antony Roberts, said: 'The spring/summer market is traditionally a time when people prefer to move and this is being reflected in transaction numbers. 'There's plenty of desire to buy in the core price ranges and we're also seeing a rise in first-time buyer activity, even though the stamp duty holiday has ended. 'Many are receiving help from family and being driven by pressures in the rental market, where demand far exceeds supply and rental listings have dropped sharply.' Mark Harris, chief executive of mortgage broker SPF Private Clients, said: 'Transaction numbers have risen again as (Bank of England) base rate reductions encourage activity and enable borrowers to plan ahead with more confidence. 'We expect interest rates to fall further from their current level although the pace and size of cuts may be more gradual than the markets thought only a few weeks ago as a result of higher inflation and the wider economic picture. 'In the meantime, lenders continue to trim their mortgage rates as swap rates fall. Easing of criteria should also enable borrowers take on bigger mortgages in coming months.' Several mortgage lenders have recently announced changes to their affordability criteria, enabling some borrowers to take out bigger loans. This follows clarification from the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), which also launched a discussion paper this week inviting debate on the future of the mortgage market to help support borrowers. On Friday, Santander UK said it has introduced improved affordability rates on newbuild properties, which could potentially allow some customers purchasing a newbuild home to borrow thousands of pounds more than they could previously. The updated calculations consider features particular to owning newbuild properties, including the potential for lower running costs compared with an older property. Tony Hall, head of business development at Saffron for Intermediaries, said: 'Looking ahead, there are reasons to remain optimistic. 'With summer demand building and more homes coming to market, conditions are gradually shifting in buyers' favour as we move into the second half of the year.' Kevin Roberts, managing director of L&G's mortgage services business, said: 'Today's figures are encouraging for the industry, especially after the flurry of activity we saw in March to beat the stamp duty changes deadline.' Iain McKenzie, chief executive of the Guild of Property Professionals, said: 'The rush to complete in March created an artificial lull, but we are now seeing the return of genuine, underlying demand.' He continued: 'The recent (Bank of England base rate) cut to 4.25% has provided a welcome boost to buyer affordability. 'However, the most significant catalyst is the relaxation of affordability criteria from lenders. By enabling buyers to borrow more and stress-testing against more realistic rates, lenders have unlocked a new wave of purchasing power, playing a crucial role in driving these transactions forward.' He added: 'Buyers now have more choice than they've had for years, which is helping to keep price growth sustainable.' Sarah Coles, head of personal finance at Hargreaves Lansdown, said first-time buyers may find some opportunities to bag a bargain. She said: 'For those who are still saving, and frustrated they might miss this window, there are still things you can do to put yourself in a better position when you come to buy. 'If you're aged 18 to 39, saving for a property worth £450,000 or less, and have at least a year until you plan to buy, you can take advantage of the Lifetime Isa, so that the first £4,000 you save each year can be topped up by the Government by an extra £1,000.' Matt Smith, Rightmove's mortgage expert said: 'We've seen some small mortgage rate reductions this week.' He added: 'Some further lender rate cuts coupled with positive buyer sentiment could spur on a positive start to the second half of the year.'
Yahoo
11 hours ago
- Automotive
- Yahoo
1 Thing Every Lucid Group Investor Needs to Watch Right Now
Exciting times are ahead for Lucid Group. But one major risk factor must be monitored. Tax incentives can dramatically affect sales. 10 stocks we like better than Lucid Group › It's an exciting time for Lucid Group (NASDAQ: LCID). Sales are expected to grow by 72% this year and 97% next year thanks to the recent introduction of its Gravity SUV platform. Plus, several new models may be on the way as early as 2026. But there's one critical risk point that every investor should be monitoring right now. Few companies completely control their own destiny. But some are more exposed to outside events than others. Right now, Lucid is particularly vulnerable to changes in federal policies. The U.S. government is mulling the elimination of several long-standing subsidies. The most talked about right now is the federal tax credit for EV buyers, which can reach as high as $7,500. If these incentives are eliminated, the effective cost of purchasing an EV will rise, a direct hit to nearly every electric car stock. Analysts are split on how damaging this policy shift could be. But we can glean clues from other countries that abruptly eliminated EV tax incentives. The reality may surprise you. Incentives that lower the cost of buying an EV have been in place throughout Europe for many decades. Norway was the first to begin incentives all the way back in the 1990s. Over time, incentives have been increased and decreased, sometimes gradually, other times suddenly. What happened when incentives were reduced? It's not good news for EV makers like Lucid. Germany, for example, paid average incentives of around €4,700 per car from 2016 to 2023. More than 2 million vehicles qualified over that time period. Then the program ended suddenly in 2023. Over the next six months, EV sales grew by 9.4% in the rest of Europe. German EV sales, meanwhile, dropped by 16.4%. While the effects in the U.S. remain to be seen, Lucid's sales growth may decline sharply should domestic tax credits be eliminated. Before you buy stock in Lucid Group, consider this: The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the for investors to buy now… and Lucid Group wasn't one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years. Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $687,731!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $945,846!* Now, it's worth noting Stock Advisor's total average return is 818% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 175% for the S&P 500. Don't miss out on the latest top 10 list, available when you join . See the 10 stocks » *Stock Advisor returns as of June 23, 2025 Ryan Vanzo has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. 1 Thing Every Lucid Group Investor Needs to Watch Right Now was originally published by The Motley Fool Fehler beim Abrufen der Daten Melden Sie sich an, um Ihr Portfolio aufzurufen. Fehler beim Abrufen der Daten Fehler beim Abrufen der Daten Fehler beim Abrufen der Daten Fehler beim Abrufen der Daten
Int'l Business Times
12 hours ago
- Business
- Int'l Business Times
US Fed's Preferred Inflation Gauge Picks Up As Tariff Effects Loom
The US Federal Reserve's preferred measure of inflation edged up in May while spending weakened, government data showed Friday, with policymakers monitoring the effects of President Donald Trump's tariffs in the coming months. The personal consumption expenditures (PCE) price index climbed 2.3 percent last month from a year ago, the Commerce Department said in a report. This was in line with analyst expectations and a slight acceleration from April's 2.2 percent increase. But excluding the volatile food and energy sectors, the PCE price index was up 2.7 percent, rising from April's 2.6 percent uptick, the report showed. But consumer spending declined, after Trump's fresh tariffs in April dragged on consumer sentiment. PCE dropped by 0.1 percent from the preceding month, reversing an earlier rise. While Trump has imposed sweeping tariffs on most US trading partners since returning to the White House in January -- alongside higher rates on imports of steel, aluminum and autos -- these have had a muted effect so far on inflation. This is partly because he held off or postponed some of his harshest salvos, while businesses are still running through inventory they stockpiled in anticipation of the levies. But central bank officials have said they expect to learn more about the impact of tariffs over the summer, meaning they will be scrutinizing data in the coming months. "The experience of the limited range of tariffs introduced in 2018 suggests that pass-through to consumer prices is intense three-to-six months after their implementation," warned economists Samuel Tombs and Oliver Allen of Pantheon Macroeconomics in a note. They also flagged weakness in consumer spending, in part due to a pullback in autos after buyers rushed to get ahead of tariffs. But spending on services was tepid even after excluding volatile components, they said. "There has also been a clear weakening in discretionary services spending, notably in travel and hospitality," said Michael Pearce, deputy chief US economist at Oxford Economics, in a note. This reflects "the chilling effect of the plunge in consumer sentiment," he added. Between April and May, the PCE price index was up 0.1 percent, the Commerce Department report showed. As a July deadline approaches for higher tariff rates to kick in on dozens of economies, all eyes are also on whether countries can reach lasting trade deals with Washington to ease the effects of tariffs. For now, despite the slowing in economic growth, Pearce said risks that inflation could increase will keep the Fed on hold with interest rates "until much later in the year."
Yahoo
12 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Americans reined in their spending last month
The US economic engine sputtered in May: Consumer spending slowed for the first time since January, according to new data released Friday that also showed inflation heated up on an annual basis. The Commerce Department report showed that consumer spending fell 0.1% last month after rising 0.2% in April. When taking inflation into account, spending declined by 0.3% for the month. A nearly 50% drop-off in motor vehicle sales was a significant driver of the May spending retreat as consumers rushed to dealerships to buy cars in March and April, fearing that President Donald Trump's tariffs would send those costs soaring. However, Friday's report also showed that consumers pulled back on spending at restaurants and hotels. Consumer spending powers more than two-thirds of US economic activity, and economists have expressed concern that the steep tariffs on most imported goods will erode Americans' resiliency. 'Apart from autos, households are also shelling out less for services (notably restaurant meals), with volumes flat in May after little rise in April,' Sal Guatieri, senior economist at BMO, wrote in a note Friday. 'This could reflect some anxiety about the trade war.' The Personal Consumption Expenditures price index was 2.3% for the 12 months ended in May, versus 2.2% in April. On a monthly basis, prices rose 0.1%, unchanged from April. Economists were expecting the PCE price index to rise 0.1% from April, resulting in the annual rate ticking up to 2.3%. They expected spending to pick up slightly to 0.3%, according to FactSet. Excluding the volatile food and energy categories, the core PCE price index rose 0.2% from April and ticked up to 2.7% on an annual basis. This story is developing and will be updated.
Scottish Sun
15 hours ago
- Health
- Scottish Sun
Deadly brain-eating parasite is found in ‘contaminated' salad bags sold in UK supermarkets – 7 symptoms to watch out for
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) HEALTH warnings have been issued over salad bags due to potentially deadly contamination fears. The popular ready-to-eat product sold across UK supermarkets has been associated with a rise in food poisoning cases. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 1 UK shoppers could be at risk of a brain-eating parasite found in some ready-to-eat salad bags (stock image) Credit: EPA Research carried out by the journal Eurosurveillance highlighted the contamination fears reported across 10 European countries, including the UK. This came after over 4% of the leaves in salad samples, tested between October 2021 and September 2022, were found to be contaminated with toxoplasma gondii oocysts. "The parasite Toxoplasma gondii can cause severe disease in humans," the research said. "People can acquire the parasite by eating raw or undercooked infected meat or unwashed fruits or vegetables contaminated with the parasite. "We wanted to investigate T. gondii in commercial ready-to eat (RTE) salads in European countries to estimate the importance of these food products as sources of T. gondii." The bacteria, which can be passed on through contact with cat faeces, has been known to contaminate food and water. This makes salad that is washed or watered with dirty water a prime place for bacteria to grow. According to research cited by Science Alert, this bacteria "can seriously disrupt the brain function of intermediate hosts, potentially including humans". The National Institute of Health previously reported that half of the UK population show signs of past infection by the age of 50. They added that once acquired, these parasites remain in human tissues for life. 'Contaminated' children's cough syrup recalled nationwide over ingredient inside that could kill – parents must act now Health risks This can cause a problem later in life for people who have a weakened immune system, often a result cancer treatments or immunosuppressant drugs. The Food Standards Agency recommended the best action to take to combat this outbreak. "[Always] wash fruit and vegetables with water before you eat them to make sure that they are clean," the experts advised. "You should wash them under a running tap, or in a bowl of fresh water, making sure to rub their skin under the water." While toxoplasmosis is not usually serious and normally gets better on its own, the NHS highlighted that it can cause serious problems in certain situations. Symptoms of toxoplasmosis According to the NHS, toxoplasmosis does not usually cause symptoms and often goes undetected. However, it can also result in flu-like symptoms such as: High temperature Headache Sore throat Aching body Swollen glands Feeling tired Feeling sick or being sick More serious symptoms can include: Confusion Blurred vision Slurred speech Unsteady walking This includes if you get it while you're pregnant or have a weakened immune system . If you have a weakened immune system toxoplasmosis may cause problems with your eyes, brain, heart, or lungs. And if you experience more severe symptoms such as confusion, blurred vision, or slurred speech, you should also seek medical help. Positive samples across Europe Samples of the leaves were collected in the Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Norway, Poland, Portugal, and Spain as well as the UK. Majority of the positive samples were collected in winter and packaged in the UK, France, Portugal, Spain, and Denmark. Scientists have urged for better control measures to help protect prevent infection. "This is particularly relevant since ready-to-eat salads are intended to be consumed raw without any further treatment by the consumer," they pointed out. "Future work should investigate presence of [the parasite] in different steps of the ready-to-eat production to minimise infection risk for humans." Rise in food poisoning cases The warning follows alerts relating to a significant rise in serious food poisoning cases. Health watchdogs reported a spike in Campylobacter and Salmonella infections across England compared to previous years. The latest annual data from the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) showed that Campylobacter infections increased by 17% between 2023 and 2014 - from 60,055 to 70,352. According to UKHSA, this represents the highest number of cases recorded in the past decade. Meanwhile, Salmonella infections also reached a decade high, according to data. They rose by with a 17% as well, from 8,872 cases in 2023 to 10,388 cases in 2024.
