BBC News: McDonald's to close 25 UK outlets Fast-food chain McDonald's is closing 25 branches in a bid to improve profits at its struggling UK operations. It is currently in talks with staff, but a spokeswoman said most of the closures would be older "high street" restaurants.

FT.com: Particular listings Rightmove, a property website that is about to float at a value of up to £400m, has come under attack from an unusual quarter - another website devoted to the downfall of the UK housing market.

Economicsuk.com: No boom in house prices The signals are mixed but Nationwide's report of a 0.2% drop in house prices in February and slghtly soft January mortgage approvals have reduced the likelihood of another sharp upward lurch in house-price inflation.

Times: House price retreat casts doubt on recovery The cost of the average home fell for the first time in eight months in February, the country's largest building society reported today, casting further doubt on the sustainability of the recent recovery in house prices.

Reuters: Irish house prices rose in January Irish house prices rose 10.2 percent year-on-year in January, up from 9.3 percent the previous month, with the average price for first time buyers crossing the 250,000 euro (170,000 pounds) barrier for the first time.

Telegraph: Property sales packs 'will drive prices up' The introduction of compulsory home information packs (HIPs) could lead to a shortage of homes on the market and rising prices, experts have warned.

BBC News: Powergen in big energy price rise Power company Powergen is putting up its gas prices by 24.4% and electricity prices by 18.4%. The price increases, from 10 March, will affect about six million customers in the UK.

ThisisMoney: Doubts over spring homebuying spree BRITAIN'S biggest building society sent shudders through the estate agency industry today with a warning that the traditional spring rush of homebuyers could fail to materialise this year. Unveiling a slight fall in house prices during February, Nationwide cast doubt on whether the housing market's recent strength would be maintained over the next few months.

BBC NEWS | Business | Telecoms firm to shed 3,000 jobs Telecoms group Cable & Wireless has said it expects to cut up to 3,000 jobs in the UK over the next five years.

Reuters.co.uk: House prices fall in February House prices fell in February for the first time in eight months after a strong start to the year, a report said on Tuesday, suggesting a recent pick-up in the property market may not be sustained.

Nationwide: Feb 2006 (PDF) Doubts cast on recent strength of the housing market.

Sky News: First House Prices Fall In Months House prices fell in February for the first time in eight months after a strong start to the year, according to the Nationwide building society.

Telegraph: Alliance & Leicester profits hit by unsecured bad debts Mortgage lender Alliance & Leicester saw profits fall in 2005 despite increasing its share of the mortgage market to 5.4pc. The bank was hit by consumers struggling to manage their debts. Customers failing to keep up with payments on unsecured loans rose to 5.1pc last year, although fewer borrowers fell behind on their mortgage repayments.

Independent: MFI to axe 1,500 jobs The furniture group MFI today revealed plans to cut almost 1,500 jobs as part of a restructuring drive aimed at reviving its ailing fortunes. The group said it will reduce UK manufacturing by 40 per cent and close at least 11 stores, as well as shut three home delivery centres and its sofa workshop business.

BBC NEWS | Business | Persimmon shrugs off housing dip The UK's largest housebuilder, Persimmon, has reported a rise in profits despite a "challenging" 2005. The firm added that trading since the start of the year had been good, and it was anticipating a steady rise in house prices this year as demand picked up.

BBC NEWS | Business | Nationwide sees house prices dip UK house prices fell by 0.2% in February, the latest survey from the Nationwide building society has found.

This is Money: Homes shortage boosts prices A shortage of homes has made it a seller's market with prices rising for the third month a row according to figures released today. Property website Hometrack said house prices in England and Wales rose by an average of 0.4% thanks to a surge in the number of people looking to move.

The Times: House price recovery continues Mortgage lending remained strong in January amid further evidence that a shortage of homes for sale continues to support house prices.

Guardian: Strong property performance stems rate cut hopes House prices in England and Wales rose by 0.4% in February as a surge of new buyers entered the market, according to the latest Hometrack housing index.

BBC News: Indian growth story to continue A surging industrial sector, modest inflation and rising investment will help India's economy grow 8.1% in the year to March 2006, a report has said.

BBC News: Japan ponders post-deflation plan Rising consumer prices mean Japan's central bank is almost certain to begin tightening its monetary policy in April, a survey of analysts has found.

post.ie: Revenue in crackdown on rogue landlords Landlords are facing a fresh crackdown on undeclared income under new rules forcing health boards and local authorities to automatically inform the Revenue Commissioners of all rent payments made on behalf of tenants.

Times: Merryn On Money - The coming liquidity crisis Ask any fund manager what liquid is the most important to the global economy and he'll tell you oil. The tight supply- and-demand situation has pushed prices up to a level that threatens economic growth and is kicking off inflation around the world, he will say.

Scotsman.com: Mortgage kit claims to save £2,250 A new mortgage kit has come on to the market, which claims to be able to help homeowners to shave about £2,250 off the cost of taking out a £95,000 loan on a £100,000 property.

Times: Glimmer of hope for savers Happy days are here again for the millions of long-suffering people saving in insurance company with-profits funds for their pensions or to repay their mortgages.

FirstRung: The week in focus 22/02/06 - 25/02/06 So you're an average kind of person, doing an average kind of job, looking for somewhere half decent to live.

This is Money: Council tax snoopers could sell your data The Government is considering selling off detailed information about people's homes gathered by council tax inspectors.

Independent: Card firms get tough on interest rates Hit by the cost of bad debt write-offs and the "rate tarts" who flit from one interest-free deal to the next without ever hanging around to repay the overtures of their suitors, a growing number of credit card lenders are curbing the 0 per cent deals.

Guardian: Singing along with Mervyn You have to hand it to the Bank of England: the Old Lady just cannot keep out of the news.

Sunday Herald: Fall in investment down to pensions and energy bills Business investment in the UK may have fallen back because companies' boards are pausing to look at how they should deal with increasing shortfalls in their pension funds, according to a member of the Monetary Policy Committee.

Observer: Long-term savers lose out on interest rates Savers who have held their money in the same account for some time should look at moving their cash as the rates on offer are often much lower than those on new accounts from the same bank or building society.

Guardian: First-time buyers beware If you thought the buy-to-let bubble had burst, think again. It's about to blow bigger than ever. Banks and building societies, thankful that the feared house price crash never materialised, are now queueing up to throw money at the new landlord class.

Sunday Times (AUS): Record spree on credit cards Australians went on a spending binge in December, racking up a record amount on their debit and credit cards, and pushing the year's total to about $170 billion.

BBC NEWS | UK | 'Houses boost' for inheritance Britons collectively could reap £360bn over the next 15 years from properties left in wills, a report suggests.

Telegraph: Buy-to-fret Long-distance lettings seemed like a lucrative no-brainer to budding property magnate Peter Grantley. And then came the cowboy builders, dodgy agents, rampant thieves, disappearing tenants, fly tippers and wrecking balls.

Independent: Wealth Check - 'We want to buy a place of our own' Jack Cunningham, 28, lives with his girlfriend Livvie in Highbury, North London. Currently renting, their aim is to buy a property in the area, aware that the price of a suitable flat would be in the region of £250,000.

Independent: Thrifty Living - Should money be treated like a bath, or a running tap? Musing on the words of the Duchess of Windsor, is it possible to have too much money? And how should you treat it? Like a bath, or a running tap? Is your overdraft limit a limit, or is it, ahem, a monthly target?

This is Money: The catch in a 10-year stretch Homebuyers are snapping up longer-term fixed rate mortgages - but are they jumping for the rates on offer without considering the downsides of these deals?

The Times: What the credit card adverts missed out The cost of feckless credit card use was illustrated this week when Barclaycard announced that it had to write off £1.1 billion in bad debts last year.

Guardian: Household spending rises by 0.7% Consumer spending quickened at the end of last year, official figures showed today, apparently bolstering the Bank of England's case for keeping interest rates unchanged.

This is Money: Mortgage of the future In 1996, John Major was Prime Minister, Charles and Diana divorced and a young David Beckham burst into the limelight with a 50-yard wonder goal for Manchester United.

Telegraph: Global credit ocean dries up The cash machine that sustained a world boom is about to close, and it's going to get ugly, says Ambrose Evans-Pritchard.

Scotsman: Business investment slide hints at 'unbalanced' UK economy There was a sharp decline in business investment in the last quarter of 2005, bringing investment growth for the full year to just 1.6 per cent.

BBC News: In Debt? No Worries Brits are a nation of borrowers who do not care how much they owe, says a new report. Nearly half of adults are currently in debt, owing money on a variety of credit cards and loans, according to market analyst Mintel.

SKY News: Bank Joins Debt Warning Profits at Lloyds TSB climbed 4% to almost £3.5bn, up from £3.3bn on last year. The rise was helped by a 20% increase in wholesale and international banking profits.

BBC News: Unpaid overtime falls again in UK The number of people in the UK who work unpaid overtime has fallen for the fourth year in a row. According to the TUC, 4.76 million workers did unpaid overtime last year - a 6% fall since 2001.

BBC News: Japan in surprise trade deficit Japan has posted its first monthly trade deficit in five years, and its biggest in 23 years. The trade balance fell to a 348.9bn yen ($2.95bn; £1.7bn) deficit in January against surpluses of 911.9bn yen in December and 193.9bn yen a year before.

BBC News: US fuel drives up consumer prices US consumer prices rose by 0.7% in January, fuelled by a sharp rise in energy costs. However, Department of Labor figures showed that when food and energy costs were excluded prices rose by just 0.2%.

PR Web.com: Goodbye Mr. Greenspan, Hello Higher Interest Rates On Greenspans' Last Day the Fed Raises Interest Rates Again Greenspan gives the Real Estate Market one final shot by raising short term interest rates for the 14th straight increase since June 2004.

Guardian: Fear of property boom kept interest rate on hold Fears that lower interest rates would stoke a fresh boom in the property market helped keep borrowing costs on hold at 4.5% this month, the Bank of England revealed yesterday.

The Mirror: Why are all our bill's going up? The real reasons we're being fleeced this winter.

icCheshire: Wimpey reveals sales dip Housebuilder George Wimpey counted the cost of last year's weaker housing market to reveal a 16% fall in full-year profits yesterday.

Telegraph: 'The Government is about to con the consumer' Estate agents claim the introduction of sellers' packs next year will devastate the housing market. Other groups say they will improve property buying, reports Teresa Hunter.

First Rung: Why the buy-to-let bubble is doomed to burst Amateur landlords are the new tech investors. What on earth do I mean by that? Let me explain...

BBC News: US Fed leaves base rate door open The US Federal Reserve's interest rate rise last month has brought borrowing costs close to where they need to be, policymakers believe.

BBC News: Bank voted 8-1 to freeze UK rates Prospects of an early cut in UK interest rates appear to have receded after the minutes of latest Bank of England meeting were published.

Economics UK: 9-1 Vote at the bank The Bank of England's monetary policy committee voted 8-1 to keep interest rates unchanged with Steve Nickell as the only dissenter, as in December and January.

BBC NEWS | Business | Asda to take on 7,000 staff in UK Supermarket group Asda is to take on 7,000 staff across the UK this year, owner Wal-Mart has said.

The Times: The house that just won't sell After months of speculation The Sunday Times can reveal that Nether Lypiatt Manor, the country home of Prince and Princess Michael of Kent, has had £500,000 lopped off its asking price. Now - almost - anybody with £5.5m to spare can live like royalty.

Guardian: Water bill rises on the way Consumers already facing rises in energy and council tax bills were dealt a further blow today with the news that water bills are to go up in April.

EU Reporter: Trichet Warnings Set Interest rates to Rise Speaking in the occasion of the monetary dialogue with the Parliament at the European Parliament's Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs, the President of the ECB Jean-Claude Trichet showed confidence about economic performance in Europe, but nevertheless pointed out some disquietude about upward pressure in inflation and expressed some concerns on real estate market prices, leaving room for further interest rates increases.

BBC NEWS | Business | Europe 'to grow faster in 2006' Europe-wide economic growth will accelerate this year, the European Commission has forecast. It predicts that growth across the whole 25 European Union member states will hit 2.2% in 2006, and by 1.9% across the 12 nations with the euro.

The Times: Oil revenues gush in to give Brown a record surplus A tax bonanza from the soaring value of North Sea oil fuelled bumper revenues from British companies for Gordon Brown last month, helping him to register a record monthly surplus on the public finances.

The Times: Bad debts hit profits at Barclays Barclays posted a 15 per cent rise in group full-year profits to a record £5.28 billion before tax - the best in its history - but soaring bad debts among Barclaycard users saw profits at its credit card division slide by almost one-fifth.

This is Leicestershire: Debts are a luxary we can't afford So there it was, a front-page lead on a national broadsheet (right next to a picture of some footballer who, despite his millions, still can't get his life together - poor chap), the news that personal insolvencies are (again) at record levels.

The Motley Fool: Mortgage Protection - Don't Get Fleeced! When you took out a mortgage, did your lender try and persuade you to take out Mortgage Payment Protection Insurance (MPPI)? And did you fall for it?

BBC NEWS | England | West Midlands | Help! My student rent is soaring Aston University student Ambrish Patel wrote to the BBC News website about his struggle to pay his rent.

BBC News: Record budget surplus lifts Brown A strong surge in corporate and income tax receipts helped the government to post a record monthly budget surplus in January, official figures have shown.

BBC News: Nigeria attacks raise oil prices Oil prices have risen by more than $1 a barrel on Monday, after fresh violence cut production in Nigeria, the world's eighth largest exporter.

This is Money: Are you ready for a mortgage? Most homeowners would be reluctant to lock themselves into a mortgage deal for five years, let alone ten. But with long-term fixed rates looking almost as attractive as two and three-year rates, the option to fix for a decade has never been so attractive.

This is Money: January mortgages hit all-time high Claims the property market is enjoying a mini-boom have been backed by the highest January mortgage lending figure on record. Figures released today by the Council of Mortgage Lenders have shown £23bn was borrowed in January - almost a third more than the same month last year.

Independent: If house price rises were made of straw, would spending fall through the floor? There was a sudden jolt last week to the "steady as she goes" perception of the UK economy.

Guardian: Housing market offers variety of investment bets A property portfolio made up entirely of buy-to-let properties may not seem so appealing now that yields are flattening and capital appreciation has slowed, but there are alternative ways to make money from the housing market.

Guardian: Pity central bankers - keep the economy growing or hold back a new property boom? While the Bank of England's quarterly inflation report press conferences are usually dominated by the comments of the governor, Mervyn King, there was, on last week's occasion, a particularly noteworthy statement from the Bank's executive director, Paul Tucker.

Reuters: Bank's Barker says MPC sees faster growth The Bank of England expects economic growth to pick up and has been encouraged by recent activity in the consumer sector, Monetary Policy Committee Member Kate Barker was quoted as saying.

Daily Mail: Average house price is £200,000 While the average cost of a house has soared above £200,000, the average household income has not grown at an equivalent rate.

EconomicsUK: Strong public finances = no tax hikes It looks as though Gordon Brown has got away with it. The public finances for January, just released, were healthy.

BBC News: House prices move above £200,000 The average asking price of a home in England and Wales has broken through the £200,000 barrier due to renewed demand from buyers, a report has said.

BBC NEWS - Workers 'turning to second jobs': One in four workers in the UK has a second job to help pay off debts or keep up with the everyday cost of living, according to a survey.

The Sunday Mail: Bankruptcies warning (OZ) AUSTRALIA'S credit card debt has reached a record $34 billion, prompting fears of an explosion of bankruptcies

The Sunday Business Post Online: George Soros: "The financier has joined the pessimists of the world economy by warning that the Federal Reserve could trigger a collapse in house prices. AUS recession could loom next year if the Fed were to raise interest rates too quickly, said Soros. A US recession could overspill into a foreign exchange crisis and global instability as the value of the dollar drops. Commentators have pointed to the surging price of gold as evidence that investors are increasingly worried that the Soros "

Herald Sun: Mortgage time bombs (Oz) They say homeowners who have borrowed with little or no deposit may have negative equity and are vulnerable to interest-rate movements.

Times Online: Ireland - Why office blocks are sexy As investors lose interest in the residential buy-to-let market, commercial property has become an attractive proposition.

Investment & Business News: House prices: was talk of January pick up a myth? We take a less bullish view of the housing market than others. Whereas many predict a continuation of a soft landing, we say that thanks to unprecedented levels of low inflation, we are in unknown territory, but that the market will be vulnerable to crash for many years, and that some, as yet unforeseen crisis, (but lets face it crises are a fact of economic life, and they are always unforeseen) could immediately lead to an implosion in house prices.

Independent: Charges take the shine off cut-price mortgages Mortgage rates have fallen below 4 per cent for the first time in three years. Three lenders have reduced their rates in order to offer deals priced at 3.99 per cent, even though the Bank of England's base rate has remained at 4.5 per cent since last August.

BBC NEWS | Scotland | Housing value 'continues to rise' he value of Scotland's private housing stock has increased by 138% to more than £190bn over the last decade, according to a study.

The Business Online: City believes US interest rates will hit 5% City of London economists believe US interest rates will hit 5% by May as economic growth accelerated in the first quarter, according to a fresh poll this weekend.

Scotsman.com: Buy-to-let market on a high Buy-to-let lending has soared to record levels, with the value of loans in the sector in the second half of last year hitting almost £15 billion.

Cards that take longer than mortgages Credit card users could finish paying off their mortgage before their card balance if they only clear the minimum payment each month.

The Sunday Mail (AUS): Bankruptcies warning Australia's redit card debt has reached a record $34 billion, prompting fears of an explosion of bankruptcies. Reserve Bank figures show the average credit card account is $2732 in debt.

Sunday Times (AUS): Bank warns on interest rates The Reserve Bank of Australia has warned that the next move in interest rates is likely to be up, and cautioned households against running up high debts.

Firstrung: Fixed-rate loans back in popularity New figures have revealed that the number of Britons choosing to take out a fixed-rate mortgage grew to a record level during the last three months of 2005.

Money Week: Why the UK housing market is still primed for a crash What's one of the first things you do when you move into a house you've just bought? We're not talking about paying the lawyer's fees, or stamp duty, or any of the annoying administration like moving furniture or getting the phone connected. What's the first thing you do to the house?

Money Week: A "desperately poor year" for housing The property-market bulls seem to think that 2005 has gone their way. Listen to Fionnuala Earley, Nationwide's chief economist. She told The Independent last week that the bears have been "eating humble pie" lately: instead of crashing, she says the housing market has shown "resilience" and "stability" in 2005, with annual house-price growth (through November) coming in at 2.4%.

FT.com: The man and the bubble: "The Yale professor correctly predicted the last stock market crash five years ago in his book, Irrational Exuberance. Now he is predicting a property meltdown."

BBC News: British Gas raises prices by 22% Millions of British Gas customers are facing higher bills after the firm raised its gas and electricity prices. The UK's biggest energy supplier will raise gas and electricity tariffs by 22% from 1 March 2006.

BBC News: US housing starts at 30-year high The US has recorded the fastest pace in construction of new houses for more than 30 years, official figures show.

Guardian: Shock fall in store takings belies Bank optimism Worst performance since second world war. Growth at risk as shopping boom runs out of steam.

Reuters: Retail sales drop seen ushering in lower rates Retail sales fell at their sharpest rate in over a year in January, official data showed on Thursday, raising expectations that the Bank of England will cut interest rates in coming months to shore up spending.

Reuters: Reuters poll on house prices Reuters has surveyed more than 20 economists for their views on house price inflation, whether current house prices are overvalued and the possibility of a housing market crash.

Motor Trader: Avis announces job cuts Car rental firm Avis Europe has announced plans to axe around 200 jobs from its workforce over the next 18 months. The firm is struggling to stave off fierce competition from its rivals and will attempt to cut costs by restructuring its business.

The Move Channel: Five-year low in declining first-time buyers Property sales figures for first-time buyer are the lowest for five years, said the National Association of Estate Agents in a revised report today. First-time buyers’ share of the housing market fell to an average of 12.2% per month in 2005, the lowest figure to be recorded by the NAEA housing market survey since it began.

BBC News: Japanese economy picks up speed Japan's economy grew at a faster pace than expected in the final three months of 2005, boosted by a pick-up in exports, official figures show.

This is Money: London tops debt table London has topped a table of the most indebted cities in the UK , with the east end and Uxbridge unveiled as the worst hit areas.

Reuters: Housing market not on brink of renewed boom House prices are overvalued and the recent upturn in housing market activity will likely run out of steam towards the end of the year, a Reuters poll of economists shows...The recent housing market rebound has also made a cut less likely given the risk that lower rates could fuel another housing market boom.

Money Week: Why the outlook is bleak for commercial property I mention the British obsession with property so often in this column you could be forgiven for thinking I'm obsessed with everyone else's obsession. And in a way it's true.

BBC News: Date for Brown's Budget announced Chancellor Gordon Brown will deliver his Budget on 22 March, the government has announced. Mr Brown will update MPs on his latest forecasts for the UK economy.

Guardian: Weaker housing market hits B&Q sales The DIY chain B&Q today reported a further deterioration in sales at the start of the year as a softer housing market took its toll.

Reuters: Buy-to-let - the price ain't right Buy-to-let valuations on new properties face increasing scrutiny and investors could soon find it more difficult to arrange a loan. However, a well informed adviser can make all the difference.

Motley Fool: House Prices To Rise In 2006 & 2007 According to the Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML), a trade association which represents 98% of residential mortgage lending, house prices are set to rise 2% in 2006 and 2007.

icNorthWales: Sharp growth in house hunting There has been a sharp rise in interest in UK property, according to the latest propertyfinder.com research. The number of people searching for property on the site hit 1.1m in January, up 54% compared to the same period in 2005, when the property market was languishing in the doldrums.

National Statistics - January 2006 In the three months to January the seasonally adjusted index for retail sales at constant 2000 prices was 1.3 per cent higher than the previous three months.

BBC News: Fed's Bernanke sees price risks US Federal Reserve chairman Ben Bernanke has reiterated that inflation remains a risk to the economy, meaning interest rates may need to keep rising.

BBC News: Retail sales suffer January fall A fall in UK retail sales during January has put the brakes on growth in the sector, official figures show.

Residential Landlord: Tax fraud brings jail and £3m fine A Lichfield landlord has been jailed for two years at Stafford Crown Court after being convicted of a major tax fraud. He was also ordered to pay £3.36m in a confiscation order for income tax including interest due, together with costs of £25,000 awarded to HM Revenue & Customs.

Residential Landlord: Landlord jailed for immigration breach A Lancashire landlord who provided housing for 25 illegal immigrants has been jailed for 12 months.

Reuters: Pay growth picks up Annual pay growth unexpectedly picked up in the final quarter of 2005, fuelled by financial sector bonuses...the internationally-recognised ILO measure of unemployment rose further to 5.1 percent, its highest since April 2003, as the number of unemployed climbed by 108,000 in the fourth quarter.

This Is Money: Blow to spring rate cut hopes HOPES of a spring cut in interest rates were dealt a severe blow today as the Bank of England signalled it is in no hurry to move borrowing costs in either direction.

FT: Top Bank official calls for action on gilts Paul Tucker, head of markets at the Bank of England, on Wednesday urged the government to alleviate problems caused to pension funds and the wider economy by artificially low yields on long-dated bonds.

SKY News: BoE Calm Over Inflation Inflation is likely to stick close to its 2% target over the next two years, the Bank of England is predicting. The comments in its quarterly Inflation Report indicate the BoE is not in a hurry to to move interest rates in either direction.

SKY News: Jobless Total Falls The number of people out of work and claiming unemployment benefit fell by 2,000 last month to 904,200. That was down for the first time in a year.

Business World: Bank of England raises CPI measure The Bank of England today tweaked its forecasts to show a slightly higher profile for inflation in the coming twelve months -- a move that may well dampen expectations of lower borrowing costs in the next few months.

BBC News: UK unemployment at four-year high The number of people out of work in the UK has risen to a four-year high, according to figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

Reuters: Pay growth picks up Annual pay growth unexpectedly picked up in the final quarter of 2005, fuelled by financial sector bonuses, while jobless claims fell in January for the first time in a year, official data showed on Wednesday.

SKY News: Right Move For Property The country's biggest property Web site, Rightmove, is planning a stock market listing in March. An industry source says the flotation could raise around £300m. The offer will consist of the sale of shares by Rightmove's existing shareholders.

BBC NEWS | Europe | Bird flu spreading across Europe Two swans found dead in northern Germany have the virulent H5N1 bird flu virus, officials say, marking the first such cases in the country.

This is the North East: How house prices are wrecking family life House prices are on the increase again. For some strange reason, this makes the experts cheer. Why? Maybe the experts don't have small children.

icWales: Britons fall short on interest rates knowledge Four out of 10 Britons don't know what interest rate they are earning on their savings accounts, while a third don't know how much they are being charged to borrow money on a credit card.

Telegraph: Demand soars for two-year fixed-rate mortgages Demand for two-year fixed-rate mortgages has rocketed in the past month, according to Hamptons International's latest mortgage survey.

Reuters.co.uk: Bernanke to play the hawk on Capitol Hill Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke will seek to establish his anti-inflation credentials when he delivers the U.S. central bank's semi-annual report to Congress on Wednesday after just two weeks on the job.

Reuters.co.uk: Housing market revival puts BoE in rate dilemma A resurgent property market underpinned by expectations interest rates may soon fall and an unexpected drop in inflation below target has landed the Bank of England in a serious dilemma.

The Motley Fool UK: What To Do With £500 Coming into money is always exciting. Whether it's a bonus from work, an inheritance, a Premium Bond win or maybe even a tax rebate, deciding what to do with it always takes some consideration.

Telegraph: Get into a fix with your mortgage With long-term swap rates lower than short-term rates, mortgage lenders can afford to be very competitive with 10-year fixes. Teresa Hunter looks at what is on offer.

The Scotsman: UK set for strong mortgage revival UK mortgages are set for a strong recovery, with a leading analyst forecasting a near 13 per cent lift in advances during the next five years. Gross advances in the UK residential market will grow 12.89 per cent to £324 billion in 2010 from £287bn last year, according to independent analyst Datamonitor.

Telegraph: In 1997 household debt stood at £500bn...now it's £1,158bn Gordon Brown is now spending most of his time out of the Treasury, laying the ground for his ascension to the top spot.

FT.com: Wealth - From fruit to IT, deflation is the issue Every media pundit, economist and investment analyst has been whining about inflation and it's starting to bother me.

RTE Business: US retail sales show surprise 2.3% jump US consumers boosted retail sales by 2.3% in January, the government said today in a big surprise to analysts expecting an increase of just 0.9%. Overall, retail sales were the strongest since May 2004.

Times: Cheap homes sell before a brick is laid First-time buyers queue all day to secure properties on land that does not have planning permission. Hundreds of first-time homebuyers queued for up to eight hours to secure a property on an affordable housing development before a brick has been laid.