NAEA: NEW FIGURES SHOW FIRST TIME BUYERS ARE MAKING THE MOST OF STAMP DUTY HOLIDAY
More First Time Buyers (FTBs) came through estate agents’ doors than at any point in the previous eight months, according to the National Association of Estate Agents (NAEA). Figures from the (NAEA) January Market Report show that 23 per cent of overall sales made last month were to FTBs, compared with 21 per cent in December. This represents the third consecutive monthly increase in sales to FTBs. The number was last this high in May 2011 (24 per cent). NAEA President Wendy Evans-Scott said: “First Time Buyers seem to be making the most of the Stamp Duty Holiday before it comes to an end in March. The NAEA and other property specialists campaigned hard for the Government to introduce the tax exemption to support First Time Buyers, and these latest figures certainly suggest that stamp duty is a key factor for those on tight budgets purchasing their first home. “We are deeply disappointed that Ministers have axed this support for a crucial part of the housing market which has benefited so many house-hunters in getting onto the property ladder.” The NAEA’s report also shows that the number of house hunters registering at branches across the country decreased slightly, with 260 per branch in January compared with 294 in December. Overall sales increased slightly across the property market in January, with an average of 6 per branch compared with 5 per branch in December. In contrast, supply levels dipped to their lowest level in 19 months with an average of just 60 properties available to house-hunters. Wendy added: “Earlier this month the Chancellor announced plans to enable a new Bank of England committee to set loan-to-value ratios on mortgages. Our latest figures show just how fragile the housing market can be; therefore any efforts to prevent unsustainable property bubbles and unwanted house price deflation are to be welcomed. “At the same time the Government also needs to take into consideration that requiring aspiring buyers to have even larger deposits than are currently demanded risks excluding even more young people from the market.”
ΠερισσότεραEstimation inflation rate 2011 in EU: 2,7 %
annual inflation is expected to be 2.7% in January 2012 according to a flash estimate issued by Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union. It was also 2.7% in December 2011.
ΠερισσότεραEuro area government debt down to 87.4% of GDP
At the end of the third quarter of 2011, the government debt2 to GDP ratio3 in the euro area4 (EA17) stood at 87.4%, down compared with 87.7% at the end of the second quarter of 2011. In the EU274 the ratio increased from 81.7% to 82.2%. Compared with the third quarter of 2010, the government debt to GDP ratio rose in both the euro area (from 83.2% to 87.4%) and the EU27 (from 78.5% to 82.2%). At the end of the third quarter of 2011, securities other than shares accounted for 79.3% of euro area and 79.7% of EU27 general government debt. Loans made up 18.0% of euro area and 15.8% of EU27 government debt. Currency and deposits represented 2.8% of euro area and 3.8% of EU27 government debt. Due to the involvement of EU governments in financial assistance to certain Member States, and in order to obtain a more complete picture of the evolution of government debt, quarterly data on intergovernmental lending (IGL)5 is also published. The share of IGL in GDP at the end of the third quarter of 2011 is similar for both the euro area and the EU27, amounting to 0.8% and 0.6% of GDP respectively. These data are released by Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union. see full report: http://epp.eurostat.ec.europa.eu/cache/ITY_PUBLIC/2-06022012-AP/EN/2-06022012-AP-EN.PDF remark: Eurostat publishes for the first time a News Release with quarterly data on government debt. This new euroindicator complements the annual data already published in the twice yearly EDP notifications by providing a more short term trend in government debt for the euro area and the EU as well as for the Member States. This new quarterly euro-indicator will be issued around four months after the end of the quarter of reference1. Annual EDP data notified by Member States in April and October are the subject of a thorough verification by Eurostat, which can lead to a revision of past quarterly data.
ΠερισσότεραFebruary: Construction output up by 0.3% in euro area
In the construction sector, seasonally adjusted production rose by 0.3% in the euro area2 (EA17) and fell by 0.4% in the EU27 in December 2011, compared with the previous month. In November, production increased by 0.2% and 0.6% respectively. Compared with December 2010, output in December 2011 increased by 7.8% in the euro area and by 7.4% in the EU27. Compared with 2010, the average construction output index in 2011 decreased by 1.1% in the euro area, but increased by 0.7% in the EU27. These first estimates are released by Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union. See full report: http://epp.eurostat.ec.europa.eu/cache/ITY_PUBLIC/4-17022012-AP/EN/4-17022012-AP-EN.PDF
ΠερισσότεραPublication “Basic figures on the EU” Spring 2012
The latest statistical data on the EU have been published by Eurostat. Eurostat publishes official, harmonised statistics on the European Union (EU) and the euro area which offer an objective portrayal of social and economic trends. These statistics are available for EU Member States, and are sometimes broken down by region. Furthermore, some of the indicators are published for candidate countries and other non-member countries. Eurostat collects data from national statistical institutes; the statistics are harmonised according to Europe-wide methodologies. Data are, therefore, genuinely comparable across the whole of the EU. Website Eurostat’s website: http://ec.europa.eu/eurostat provides free access to EU statistics, and is also available in German and French. See the publication at the following link: http://epp.eurostat.ec.europa.eu/cache/ITY_OFFPUB/KS-GL-12-001/EN/KS-GL-12-001-EN.PDF
Περισσότερα
