UK house prices surge more than expected in Dec: Halifax

[LONDON] British house prices surged more than expected in December to hit a four-month high, mortgage lender Halifax said on Thursday, another sign of growing momentum in the housing market.

House prices rose 1.7 per cent in December compared with November, when they stagnated. A Reuters poll of economists had expected a 0.5 per cent upswing in December.

In the three months to December, house prices were 9.5 per cent higher compared with a year ago, again stronger than the 9.0 per cent growth expected by economists.

REUTERS