House prices
RBNZ deputy calls for action on housing imbalances
Grant Spencer says changes to tax treatment of housing should be considered, while he identifies apartment development as the best prospect for boosting supply in the short term
RBA alert to ongoing housing risks
Financial stability review shows the Reserve Bank of Australia is still concerned about investor demand in the market; says it is ‘too early’ to judge impact of APRA measures
HKMA tightens housing rules as ‘buoyancy’ returns
Norman Chan points to ‘notable increases in prices and transaction volume’ as he unveils changes to the HKMA’s macro-prudential policies
Wheeler: RBNZ will ‘talk more’ about housing
The Reserve Bank of New Zealand will focus on the market in coming months, Wheeler says, with house price inflation ‘increasing again’ in Auckland
IMF paper examines sensitivity of house prices to global liquidity shocks
Researchers find prices in emerging markets respond ‘much more’ to a shock in the international supply of credit than in advanced economies
RBA discussing steps to cool ‘unbalanced’ housing market
Australia’s financial regulators are discussing whether ‘additional steps’ are necessary to address the disproportionate increase in credit to investors in the housing market
Irish economists estimate property debt overhang on SMEs
Central Bank of Ireland researchers find a minimum of 20% of SMEs have direct exposures to property debt, which makes them more likely to default
Menon: ‘Too early’ to ease macro-prudential policies
Managing director says there are ‘some indications’ the property market is cooling down, but remains concerned by high prices and household debt
Australians might be better off renting, paper finds
If people expect house price growth to slow relative to the past 60 years, they might be better off renting, according to a paper published by the Reserve Bank of Australia
BoE introduces ‘ground-breaking' macro-pru measures to prevent housing bust
Mark Carney unveils a cap on high loan-to-income mortgages and affordability test; influential MP calls it a ‘major departure' for UK financial policy
IMF launches global house price observatory to 'nudge' prudential policy-makers
Fund sets up website to help countries keep track of and compare housing sector developments and prompt them into ‘early action' on booms and busts
Monetary policy shock hits Norway house prices hard
Meanwhile, impact on household credit is muted, according to Norges Bank working paper; adds findings are consistent with small quarterly refinancing rate of mortgage stock
BoE's Cunliffe warns of 'sustained and powerful pressure' on UK house prices
Deputy governor for financial stability says it would be 'dangerous to ignore momentum in housing market' and cautions that new prudential measures have yet to be tested
BoE's Carney downplays UK housing risks
The governor, who is also head of the country's principal macro-prudential regulator, says higher prices and ‘mortgage availability' is due to housing market bouncing back from ‘low base'
Bank of England terminates mortgage support
Funding for Lending Scheme will cease subsidising mortgages in 2014; Mark Carney outlines tools the central bank could use to rein in the ‘growing momentum’ in UK housing market
Pianalto confident housing market on road to recovery
It was the housing market that ‘got us into this situation', Cleveland Fed president says - but nevertheless a recovery in the overall economy will translate through to a housing rebound
Bundesbank warns over surge in German property prices
House prices in the country's biggest cities are up more than a quarter since 2010, as investors search for yield amid record low interest rates; lack of supply also plays a role, says new study
Central Bank of Ireland research scrutinises credit and house price links
Researchers anatomise Ireland’s painful housing boom and bust, highlighting importance of the 'income fraction' channel in creating sharp movements in mortgage credit supply
UK ‘Help to Buy' brought forward as data show housing market hotting up
Data out today show some UK housing indicators are back at pre-crisis levels; financial policy committee minutes are due out tomorrow, as government doubles down on ‘Help to Buy' scheme
Scandinavians open macro-pru toolbox to cool overheated housing markets
Rising property prices, increasing household debt and towering banking sectors are pushing Norway, Sweden, and Denmark to consider unconventional measures to pre-empt a crash
Irish households exhibit ‘relatively large' wealth effect from housing
Housing wealth effect particularly strong for Irish households in negative equity, central bank researchers find
Israeli banking supervisor floats full risk weights for mortgages
Draft guidance presented to Bank of Israel advisory committee yesterday would also force banks to limit the use of variable interest rates and do away with long-term loans
RBNZ restricts low-deposit mortgage lending
Graeme Wheeler says banks will face ‘speed limit’ on their high loan-to-value mortgage lending from October 1; RBNZ hopes to avoid raising rates while currency remains over-valued
RBNZ plumps for ‘speed limit’ on lending restrictions
Reserve Bank of New Zealand says any restrictions on banks' high loan-to-value mortgage lending will take the form of a quota over time, as opposed to an outright ban