UK house prices rose by 0.2% in December,missing market expectations on incline by 0.3%. Annual house price growth slowed for the fourth month in a row to 7.2% from 8.5% in November. House prices increased by 7.2% over the course of 2014, after rising by 8.4% in 2013.
While cooling in the London market is a part of the story, this is not the main explanation for the slowdown evident in the UK figures in recent months. Indeed, annual price growth in the capital continued to outpace every other region in the UK, at 17.8% in Q4. Overall, 12 of the 13 UK regions saw the pace of annual price growth slow.
Data did not bring any huge changes to the markets, but Sterling managed to rebound after European opening and is currently being traded few points above 1.5530 level. Later today, in the US session, CB Consumer Confidence figures are scheduled for a release.