House prices fall unexpectedly - papers 5 Jan

The latest figures from Halifax were at odds with analysts’ forecasts of a small rise. Northern Ireland was the region which saw the biggest increase in prices last year, while demand for property in London means the average price of a home in the capital is for the first time subject to inheritance tax. The national average cost of a home is now £186,035, taking the annual pace of house price inflation to 9.9%, just above the long-term average increase of 8%, says the paper. BARCLAYS GLOBAL Investors is poised to raise $1bn (£514m) for its first fund of external hedge funds, accor...