Nationwide

House price inflation dropped sharply in April dropping to 0.1% for the month compared with 1.1% in March the latest figures from Nationwide claim.

The Nationwide Consumer Confidence Index rose by marginally in March, to suggest confidence appears to have stabilised in March, following a steady decline since November.

House prices are back on a strong upward trend after a brief pause in February, but deteriorating affordability could act as a brake to the market, claims the latest Nationwide House Price Report.

Nationwide Building Society claims borrowers will spend £200m unnecessarily on higher lending charges during 2006.

With less than two days to go before the Budget the housing industry has come out in force to lobby the Chancellor on Stamp Duty again.

Consumer confidence has fallen again according to the latest figures from Nationwide published just ahead of tomorrows meeting of the Bank of England's, Monetary Policy Committee (MPC).

The Financial Services Skills Council (FSSC) has appointed Stuart Bernau, commercial and communications director of Nationwide Building Society, as its chairman.

Up to a million child trust fund vouchers are yet to be invested and latest research suggests significant variations in spending patterns among recipients of CTF lump sums at age 18, based on parental propensity to save, Nationwide says.

The housing market will remain fairly subdued next year with house prices rising between 0-3% according to the Nationwide Building Society's housing market forecast for 2006.

PEOPLE WITH a private pension will have to put aside an extra £6,000 over their working life to compensate for the two years of lost state pension or retire at 67, an expert said yesterday, reports the Times .