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2026-04-08 14:30:50
[UK house prices unexpectedly fell in March as Middle East conflict dampened buyer demand] (1) UK mortgage lender Halifax said house prices fell 0.5% month-on-month in March (compared to a 0.3% increase in February), while the market consensus was for a 0.1% increase. Year-on-year growth was 0.8%, lower than the expected 1.5%. (2) This result contrasts with a sharp rise in house prices recorded in March by rival Nationwide. Halifax said the recent slowdown in the housing market reflects the widespread uncertainty surrounding the Middle East conflict. (3) Concerns about rising energy prices have driven up inflation expectations, leading to higher mortgage rates and a decline in confidence in interest rate cuts, thus dampening the initial momentum that emerged in the market at the beginning of the year.
