Gold and silver slide in ‘metals meltdown’; UK factory growth hits 17-month high – business live
Analysts say choice of Kevin Warsh as next Fed chair has triggered heavy losses in precious metal prices
UK house prices have also fallen - although it's a better picture if you adjust for seasonal factors.
The average price of a UK property fell in January, to 270,873, down from 271,068 in December, according to Nationwide Building Society.
The start of 2026 saw a slight pick-up in annual house price growth, which rose to 1.0% in January, after slowing to 0.6% in December. Prices increased by 0.3% month on month in January, after taking account of seasonal effects.
Housing market activity also dipped at the end of 2025, most likely reflecting uncertainty around potential property tax changes ahead of the Budget. Nevertheless, the number of mortgages approved for house purchase remained close to the levels prevailing before the pandemic.
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