Sterling Rise For Euro Property

STRONGER THAN EXPECTED GDP HELPS STERLING AGAINST EURO
Britain's economy grew by 0.8% in Q3, postponing or even cancelling the need for more QE. Euro buyers run out of enthusiasm.
Sterling went up by three cents over the seven days. It was almost a one-way street with two thirds of the gains coming at a rush on Tuesday.

The week began with investors in a mood almost of sympathy towards sterling. On Monday they allowed the British Bankers Association to announce the lowest number of approvals in 18 months and the slowest growth in ten years and for mortgage lending. The bears refused to bite. The following morning they even wanted to buy sterling as London opened. It appeared that they were second-guessing the figures for Britain's gross domestic product (GDP) in the third quarter of the year (Q3), speculating that GDP would have expanded more than the 0.4% predicted by analysts.

And they were correct to do so; GDP grew by a provisional 0.8% in Q3. The figure was at the very top end of expectations and even the most dyed-in-the-wool pessimists had to admit it was a good one. Sterling headed upwards against everything; it did it no harm that earlier in the day ratings agency Standard & Poor's had confirmed that Britain's AAA credit rating was no longer in doubt, it was "stable". Ratings don't come better than that.

For the rest of the week the GDP figure kept the bears at bay. It allowed sterling to avoid the potentially ill effects of a 0.7% fall in Nationwide's house price index, a fall in the CBI's retail sales index and a lacklustre Bank of England total for mortgage approvals in September. A small -0.1% fall in Hometrack's house price index late on Sunday night did no damage either, even though a spokesman said that " further price falls are inevitable".

The euro should have got off to a good start last Monday when Standard & Poor's said that "Germany is recovering brilliantly". S&P's take on the Euroland outlook was that Germany's situation will require the European Central Bank to raise euro interest rates even as Ireland and southern Europe remain stuck in recession. But just as investors were not inclined to punish the pound, nor were they ready to praise the euro. With the US dollar on the ropes and nowhere else to go they could not easily abandon the euro even if they wanted to. And they didn't particularly want to, it was more a matter of running out of enthusiasm for buying it.

There was no particularly bad economic news from Euroland and Spain but there was not much on the positive side either. Industrial orders were up by a a healthy 5.3% in August but consumer confidence in Germany was static. German inflation and unemployment were both steady at 1.3% and 7.5% respectively. Brussels' measures of economic confidence was higher, industrial confidence was lower and consumer confidence was steady. Euroland inflation inched up from 1.8% to 1.9% and German retail sales fell by a disappointing -2.3%.

For the pound the biggest deal this week will be Thursday's Monetary Policy Committee. The MPC is unlikely to make any change to interest rates but it the subject of quantitative easing will inevitably crop up. After last week's stronger than expected GDP figure most analysts expect the MPC to hold its fire on the matter of renewed quantitative easing. However, a "no" vote on Thursday does not guarantee it will not be proposed at future meetings. QE cannot be dismissed as yet. Buyers of the euro should continue to hedge half their requirement.

For more information on Exchange Rates or Euro Properties for sale visit http://www.goldacre-estates.com or contact info@goldacre-estates.com, 0034-928535044

Currency Exchange Brokers For Fuerteventura, Canary Islands & Spain

When buying or selling property in Fuerteventura, Canary Islands Spain, Currency Exchange is an important Part of the Process. Heres why from Moneycorp:

What is the difference between a high street bank and a foreign exchange broker?

When sending money to the Canary Islands most people use their high street bank. However, people are increasingly using foreign exchange specialists to make their international money transfers. So, what’s the difference?
Timing and guidance. Never underestimate the value of a good exchange rate.

Currency markets are constantly fluctuating and making your transaction at the right time can make a big difference to the amount of money you end up with.

For example, if you needed €20,000 in your Spanish bank account, transferring your pounds on the dates specified below would have cost you:

- 20 July 2010: £16985
- 20 Aug 2010: £16563

That’s a difference of £423 just one month!

A foreign exchange specialist will offer free information and guidance on the currency markets, helping you decide on the best time to buy. A forward contract is just one of the services a currency broker can provide. You book to buy or sell your currency in the future, at a rate you fix today. Forward contracts can help protect against adverse currency movements and can be used to lock into favourable exchange rates.

Staff at your high street bank have neither the expertise nor the breadth of market knowledge necessary to monitor the currency markets on your behalf. When sending money to Fuerteventura through your bank, you will have to accept the exchange rate on the day of transfer.

Plus, foreign exchange specialists offer more competitive exchange rates, as well as low transfer fees.

Below is another example of savings that you could have made by transferring pounds in bulk with Moneycorp rather than your high street bank.
Buying €20,000 with sterling:

Lloyds TSB
Natwest
MONEYCORP
Exchange rate
1.1463
1.1485
1.1724
Sterling cost
£17,447
£17,414
£17,059
Transfer fee
£35
£40
£15
Total
£17,482
£17,454
£17,074
Additional cost using a bank
£408
£380
-

Based on an exchange rate comparison on 19 May 2010 between Lloyds TSB, Natwest and Moneycorp.

Moneycorp charges a set transfer fee of £15 for a one-off transfer, irrespective of the amount. Transfer fees charged by the banks typically range from £20 to £40.
No matter the amount of your transfer or your needs savings can still be made in movement of money in any direction.

Using a currency specialist – The main benefits:
· Highly competitive exchange rates
· Easy account opening with no cost
· No commission charges
· Fast transfers, low fees
· Ability to fix exchange rates for a set time period, helping protect from adverse currency movements
· Expert guidance from your own dedicated Account Manager

Trust Moneycorp to take care of all your money transfers to and from Spain; however small or large. Their experts make the process quick, easy and highly cost-effective.

Contact Moneycorp in the Costa del Sol on +34 951 319 700 or, email costadelsol@moneycorp.com
Please mention Goldacre Estates when calling Moneycorp or contact them directly on +34 928535044, info@goldacre-estates.com

Currency Exchange Latest for Euro - Sterling In Canary Islands

Exchange Latest for Euro - Sterling In Canary Islands
Heres the latest from Halo International on what the exchange rates are doing for those clients looking to buy Euro based property in Fuerteventura.

OK hands up who believes Naomi Campbell? Who believes Mia Farrow? Who believes Naomi Campbell’s former agent, Carole White? Nobody! Neither do I. So if we don’t believe any of them, what is the truth behind these conflict diamonds and does it really have any bearing in the fact that Charles Taylor was a gangster and a despot? I think not.

Last night’s eagerly awaited US Federal Reserve interest rate announcement went according to the script; the Open Market Committee left their base rate at virtually zero percent and confirmed that it would be reinvesting funds that came back from its previous quantitative easing into Treasury bills to keep the cash in the financial markets. They are worried about the lack of robustness in the recovery; in Fed-speak that is said as, the recovery is “more modest” than anticipated; consequently, they are seeking to keep fiscal policy as loose as possible to stimulate as much growth as they can. They are right to be nervous judging by the data we received before their meeting yesterday; US inventories shrank, productivity slowed and small business sentiment declined. However, they decided that $2.045 trillion of financial support for the markets was enough to do the job. Let’s hope they are right. It would sort my finances out I think although it might leave a couple of the credit cards unpaid but I digress. The US Dollar was a tad stronger ahead of the announcement but it eased a bit afterwards.

That money flowing from the USD is finding its way into the Pound and Euro and the nervousness in the US plus the evident slowdown in China is causing a flow of funds away from the Australian and New Zealand Dollars which both weakened overnight.
In the UK, after yesterday’s slightly more positive news that the trade deficit narrowed, today we await the Bank of England’s quarterly inflation report. As you know, the BOE left its base interest rate on hold last week and we don’t get the minutes to that meeting until next week, so this is seen as a change to gauge the mood of the Monetary Policy Committee. We know that Andrew Sentence has started voting for interest rate hikes in order to stave off increasing inflation and the rest of the committee will be nervous of the effects of the VAT rise due in January and warnings of rising energy costs. We will see what they think about growth as well. Forecasts for UK growth have been downgraded by all manner of commentators and institutions, so the BOE’s take on that will be interesting to watch. Sterling, which has had a strong showing in the last 24 hours in spite of a third consecutive decline in consumer sentiment (according to the Nationwide index), looks set to have a busy morning with unemployment and average earnings data coming before the BOE report. We expect a small scale fall in the numbers out of work but a sharper decline in wage price inflation which oddly enough is probably a good thing when the BOE is battling inflation without robust growth.

By way of contrast to the Nationwide report, Australian consumer sentiment hit a 7 month high this month as the halt in interest rate hikes had a positive effect on the punters on the high streets. However, events in China are weighing on the Australian Dollar; that combined with a surprisingly bad profit report from the Commonwealth Bank and the nervousness in the US have caused investors to reassess their riskier trades. The carry trade which involves interest rate differentials and currency exposure is less attractive in this environment and that is causing some sales of NZ Dollars and Aussie Dollars with those funds finding their way back into the safer havens of the Pound, US Dollar and Japanese Yen.

So have a good day everyone. We are expecting it to be a corker for currency traders due to the vast array of data and news releases we are awaiting. You’ll find most traders are only really looking forward to the long cool beer at the end of the day. Or maybe that's just me.

Get Your Sterling Highs For Euro Exchange and Canary Property

Sterling appreciates against the euro to levels last seen in December 2008 Sterling’s appreciation against the euro continued last week with a new 18-month high recorded at €1.2114, whilst a higher low was seen at €1.1715.

The main releases from the UK saw the publication of the Purchasing Managers Index (PMI) figures, which are leading indicators of economic health and seen as a good barometer of the sustainability of the current recovery in markets around the world. The UK’s Manufacturing PMI maintained a 15-year high reading of 58 (above 50 is expansionary, below is a sign of contraction in activity) despite a small fall being forecast. The construction sector also continued its recent resurgence with a reading of 58.5 (which was marginally above expectations), while the services number – the most important of the three – was slightly down on expectations, but still strong at 55.4. All of this lends further credibility to the UK recovery gathering pace.
Elsewhere, the pound also gained on news that UK house prices rose to the highest levels in more than two years. The Nationwide Building Society said the average cost of a home increased 0.5% in May to the highest level since July 2008. They maintain their view that the current supply and demand balance in the market is still consistent, with relatively stable to modestly increasing prices.

The other main news of the week was the collapse of the ambitious attempt by Prudential to buy AIG's Asian arm. This prompted the unwinding of currency hedges put in place in anticipation of a deal, when the initial bid was announced back in March. AIG’s outright rejection of a reduced offer from The Pru’ put an end to the deal once and for all, with the UK insurer confirming that the deal was off on Wednesday. Sterling rose broadly on Tuesday as anticipation grew that the deal was close to collapse. The currency was still benefitting when the deal was finally taken off the table.

The euro has continued to struggle, as risk aversion at one point waned, resulting in renewed buying of riskier assets, including sterling. The recent downgrade of Spanish sovereign debt by credit ratings agency Fitch left the euro on the back foot due to ongoing structural weaknesses, particularly in the southern Mediterranean area of the eurozone.

Despite assurances from China and Kuwait that the euro’s current troubles would not affect their purchases of the single currency, rumours surfaced that Iran planned to sell some of its euro holdings as a result of the volatility. A Chinese news agency report that the Iranian central bank would sell €45bn of its foreign exchange reserves to buy dollars and gold further dented investors’ desire to hold the single currency. This adjustment to their reserve holdings was expected to be conducted in three stages, with the first tranche already underway. It was also claimed that other Gulf states had started to cut their euro holdings.
Data flows have had limited impact on the single currency in recent weeks and the same was true this time around. German retail sales and employment figures were better than forecast, whereas the Europe-wide unemployment rate remained constant. European retail sales were down 1.2% against the forecast of a small rise and revised GDP was unchanged at 0.2%. As mentioned above, this had almost no effect on the euro, with investors preoccupied with more serious matters. However, the data is not supportive of a broad-based recovery in Europe, which will be of concern to those nations about to embark on significant spending cuts that will only hinder growth further.
A more specific indicator of future growth rates was the composite European version of the Purchasing Managers Index (PMI). This showed a fall to 56.4 from 57.3 in April – although this was still above an estimated 56.2. The service sector component rose to 56.2 from 55.6, whereas the manufacturing figure declined to 55.8 from 57.6. The outlook for the region’s economy has darkened in recent months, as the threat of contagion from Greece’s fiscal crisis raises investors’ concern about the future of the euro area. While the problem has pushed the euro lower this year, making exports more competitive, governments have had to respond with tougher austerity measures to cut budget deficits. This, in turn, has dampened consumer confidence. Further alarming news from the eurozone came from an eastern European member state. Last week saw Hungary’s new Prime Minister, Viktor Orban reveal that his nation’s finances were in a “very grave situation” and that his predecessor had falsified the true state of his country’s finances.
Whilst Hungary is not the biggest economic power in the world, this news will further undermine confidence in the eurozone due to the lengthening list of nations that may need to seek emergency funding from the European Central Bank (ECB) in the future. With worsening economic conditions gripping the southern Mediterranean countries, we are already seeing great levels for euro buyers to hedge all or part of their exposure. Whether for a one-off real estate purchase or ongoing living costs, they would be wise to fix a price for half the amount of currency they are going to need. Hedging does not guarantee buying euros at the best possible price; it guarantees not buying them at the worst.

Britons Can Save Millions on Euro Exchange in Spain

Britons missing out on £101M each year on international money transfers

Poor bank rates and high charges for foreign exchange transactions mean individuals need to be savvier when transferring money overseas. Research by Moneycorp reveals that Brits are potentially losing over £101m a year by not shopping around for the best deals when transferring money abroad. Furthermore, uncompetitive exchange rates and high bank charges are costing individuals a lot of money, despite a concerted effort by most to reduce their outgoings on luxury and even staple items.

David Kerns, Head of Personal Clients at Moneycorp, comments:

“While many individuals are visiting comparison websites more frequently, checking voucher code sites and consulting online consumer forums before purchasing goods in order to save money, this mindset doesn’t seem to have extended to foreign exchange. As a result, individuals are missing out on a very large sum of money they could be saving, by transferring funds overseas through a foreign exchange specialist rather than a bank. Not surprisingly, high street banks are cashing in as a result of this surprisingly apathetic approach.”

People buying or selling property overseas and people emigrating or repatriating will be particularly affected, though this issue will affect all Brits who are transferring money overseas.

People who own additional properties abroad and make regular mortgage and/or utilities payments will also be badly affected, as every transfer is open to individual transfer charges, in addition to exchange rates.

Data from the UK’s number one property website, Rightmove Overseas, reveals that the average house price in the Costa del Sol in Spain is currently €369,860.68. With a deposit of 10% (€36,986), using a high street bank rather than Moneycorp would cost an individual, on average, an extra £558 on their deposit alone.

An individual who wants to transfer a lump sum of £100,000 to an account in Europe would lose out on an average of €1,690 by using their bank for the transfer into euros.

David Kerns concludes: “Despite the UK coming out of recession recently, individuals shouldn’t be lining the pockets of their bank managers and it’s in their best interest to maximise their investments. Prior to making any overseas payments, we always advocate that people shop around to get the best rates possible.”

If you are looking for the best currency deal for buying or selling property in the Canary Islands ask Goldacre Estates on 0034-928 53 50 44 or contact them at info@goldacre-estates.com

Currency Matters for Euro Property Buyers in Canary Islands

Transfer talk
Get more for your money with Moneycorp's forward contract currency deal, writes Stephen Tiley

WHEN transferring money to Spain and Canary Islands it’s important that you get as many Euros for your pounds as possible.
Transferring your currency overseas – whether you’re putting down a deposit on a home or making regular mortgage transfers – is often left to the last minute, which can cost you thousands due to currency fluctuations.
Timing your transaction is key and you should never underestimate the value of a good exchange rate.
Currency markets are constantly fluctuating, so making your transaction at the right time can make a big difference to the amount of money you end up with.
The amount of money lost or gained over the last five month for example is incredible.
For example, buying a Spanish home in Fuerteventura or Gran Canaria for 150,000 euros on January 28 would have meant transferring £129,310.
Leaving it just four weeks to March 1, would have meant bringing over £137,299, or a staggering £8000 more.
Two months later on May 17 and you would have saved £8,500 needing just £128,755.
Currency experts like Moneycorp can tailor its services to make sure you trade when exchange rates are in your favour and save you money.
A forward contract is just one of the services a currency broker can provide to clients making international money transfers.
You book to buy or sell your currency in the future, at a rate you fix today. Forward contracts can help protect against adverse currency movements and can be used to lock into favourable exchange rates.
Since November there has been a huge fluctuation from 1.11 euros per pound in January to 1.14 euros in February and up to 1.17 today.
The lack of direction suggests a steady relationship between the pound and the euro but it would be fairer to describe the alliance as a marriage of inconvenience.
For the euro and the pound the underlying problems are the same ones that have dogged them since the end of last year; debt and politics.
The common thread throughout the election run up was the way investors had been following the opinion polls. The more level the two main parties, the more investors shrank from buying sterling.
The chancellor’s forthcoming budget on June 22 should finally provide the pound with some direction.
The woes of the euro stem almost entirely from the maladministration of previous Greek governments.
In a situation dating back to Greece's fudged membership of the euro (many warned against it), the Athens government of the day used financial derivatives to conceal the true scale of debt in order to meet criteria set for membership.
Fortunately for Greece the EU Commission has now put a rescue package in place, however some disharmony still prevails.
In particular many other EU countries are concerned that the unrest in Greece may escalate to their own doorsteps if similar measures are put in place.
With all this uncertainty, let Moneycorp take care of all your money transfers to and from Spain; however small or large.
Our experts make the process quick, easy and highly cost-effective.

For more information on how Moneycorp can help get you more currency than from your bank contact Stephen Tiley in the Costa del Sol office on +34 951 319 700 or email stephen.tiley@moneycorp.com and please quote Goldacre Estates

Sterling vs Euro for Property Purchase in Eurozone & Canary Islands

Latest on Sterling vs Euro and financial markets by Halo Financial for those buying properties in the Euro zone and Canary Islands:
Yesterday was a day of ooops moments; Gordon Brown forgot he was wearing an open microphone when he spoke insultingly and dismissively of a woman who had merely expressed her fears over unbridled immigration and the Eurozone suffered a couple of oops moments when Spain had its credit rating downgraded by Standard and Poors and when it seemed the Greek bailout could suffer further delays; delays that Greece can ill afford. There was a bright spot for Greece though in that the International Monetary Fund suggested the bailout package could be more than double the initial estimate of €45 billion that was mooted a few weeks ago.
Apart from being long overdue in many analysts’ eyes, the Spanish rating downgrade was seen by many as a warning shot across Britain’s bows; a strong hint that unless the next government gets to grips with our debt problems straight away, Britain too could have its sovereign debt rating lowered. Apart from being just plain embarrassing, it makes servicing the existing debt more expensive because, just as Greece is discovering right now, a lower credit rating means a country has to pay a premium over and above bonds in countries like Germany and America, to lure investors. When you owe as much as Britain does, even a small premium sucks significant funds out of the domestic economy and hampers growth.
So when the dust had settled on all of that, the outcome was that the Pound fell, the Euro fell and the US Dollar which is the global safe haven these days, strengthened across the board. Of the Pound and Euro, Sterling had the most to lose in the short term because it has been doing rather better than the Euro of late and Gordon Brown’s faux pas made the hung parliament story spring back to life. I know the threat to the economy of a coalition government is being downplayed by all manner of ‘experts’ and politicos but the fear of a lack of clear leadership is the issue that dogs the Pound whenever hung parliaments are mentioned and I don’t think it is a debate with an answer until the election is over and, if we are to have a hung parliament, the wrangling and negotiating about the form that the next government will take is concluded.
In other news we saw the Reserve Bank of New Zealand leave its base interest rate on hold last night at 2.5 percent. Not only did the RBNZ do as many had forecast they would but they also suggested the tightening cycle, when it comes, would not have to be as fast and furious as had previously been thought. This is a factor of the steadier recovery than we had all hoped for. The New Zealand Dollar weakened a little against most currencies when the announcement was made but Sterling was on a slide anyway so the Sterling - NZ Dollar exchange rate is actually 5 cents lower this morning than when it peaked earlier in the week.
We also had an interest rate announcement from the US Federal Reserve late yesterday and, just like the RBNZ, they left their base rate on hold but their current level is much lower than the Kiwi base rate. The Fed is currently operating on a variable Fed funds rate between 0.0% and 0.25% and they reiterated their view that this will remain the case for some time to come. However, they did change a couple of lines in their well read standard statement; they saw both the housing and the employment markets improving slightly whereas in previous statements they have commented that these areas were flat. Don’t laugh but these miniscule changes in central bank communiqués get some analysts in a right old tizzy. It is certainly enough to move the US Dollar but that is already being bought heavily by investors seeking the safety of the US bond and equities markets.
Today is a quiet one on the data front with no more than a smattering of EU data to keep the financial market roulette tables spinning. We get EU money supply data and three economic confidence indices to mull over along with German employment data. This evening’s main event is the last of the party leader TV debates before polling day and it looks set to be a corker. I think we should have a sweep on how many times Gordon Brown’s “bigoted woman” comment gets alluded to, another on how many times the word ‘Brave’ is used to describe those in the armed forces in that rather patronising tone that politicians tend to adopt when they speak of the military personnel and another on how many times the word ‘change’ is used. This being the last chance for the three of them to make their mark, it looks set to make for very entertaining viewing.
Have a great evening’s viewing. Popcorn anyone?

Improving Property market in the Canary Islands aided by improvement in Sterling vs the Euro

MPC member sets the ball rolling with talk of higher UK interest rates. Greece's fiscal problems worry the euro.

After a day's hesitation in the vicinity of Monday's €1.11 starting point the pound set off higher. It was not quite a straight-line advance (it almost never is) but sterling did not really come to a stop until it topped out at €1.13 on Friday. End of week profit-taking brought a brief setback but the pound was back up beyond €1.63 by the time London opened this morning.

Sterling had a good week on almost every front. On the rare occasions it failed to make progress - and only the yen springs to mind - it was steady. There was not universal support in every case to start with but by Tuesday there was wind in every one of sterling's sails. The pound owed its uncharacteristic advance to the Bank of England, specifically to Andrew Sentance, a member of the Monetary Policy Committee. He told The Guardian newspaper that 'Threadneedle Street has done enough to lift Britain out of its deepest post-war slump and will need to consider raising interest rates this year if a recovering economy poses a threat to inflation.' In his opinion the sixth consecutive quarter of falling output in the third quarter of 2009 presented 'an excessively downbeat' picture of the UK economy and he downplayed the risk of a double-dip recession.

That argument received corroboration the following day. The National Institute for Economic and Social Research ('Britain's longest established independent economic research institute' according to its own blurb) reckons the economy grew by +0.3% in the fourth quarter, contracting by -4.8% in calendar 2009. That last figure was given added punch by simultaneous news that Germany's economy shrank by -5.0% on the year. Although the NIESR is not responsible for the 'official' figures investors were happy to accept that the UK economy had finally returned to growth and they clung to that upbeat mood for the rest of the week.

By contrast, investors did not have their usual disregard for factors detrimental to the euro. They have at last fallen in with the idea that Greece's membership of the euro cuts both ways. Total public sector borrowing in Greece is set to reach 120% of gross domestic product this year and could be as high as 140% of GDP in a couple of years' time. The Greek government says it intends to barrow this budget gap but its deeds have so far fallen short of its words. Some analysts have speculated that a possible solution is for Greece to abandon the euro and go back to issuing its own currency, a sort of Drachma II.

At his press conference on Thursday the president of the European Central Bank made his position clear. First he said the idea of Greece leaving the euro was 'absurd'. Then he went on to say the ECB would offer no special treatment to Greece. That means, following the downgrade of Greek credit ratings, that Greek government bonds will not be eligible as collateral at the ECB once it retightens its rules to pre-crisis standards. Yesterday's Sunday Telegraph carried a piece entitled 'ECB prepares legal ground for euro rupture as Greek crisis escalates'. The official ECB line seems to be that a) there is absolutely no chance of Greece leaving the euro and b) this is what will happen when it does. Investors are less than relaxed about the situation.

The pound has spent most of the last three months between $1.58 and $1.68. It starts this week right at the top of that range and looking punchy. If it can consolidate its gains there is nothing to prevent it reaching €1.15 without too much effort. The uncertainty principle still points to a 50% hedge of any euro requirement but there might be better levels at which to make the transaction. Buyers of the euro who are not already hedged should use a stop order for protection in anticipation of this rally carrying further.

Report provided by moneycorp

2009/2010 Currency Round-Up from Currencies Direct

Watching the price action between Sterling/Euro over the past few months has been like trying to push a dinosaur uphill - slow and frustrating! However, as we end the year it looks like Sterling has moved away from the threat of parity and should mover higher in 2010 with the potential for a 15 % appreciation against the Euro.

The recent bout of Sterling weakness was partly fuelled by comments from the Bank of England(BoE), underling the fact that a weak currency was crucial if the UK was to not only export its way out of the global economic slump, but it would also make the UK a much more attractive proposition for overseas investors.

A clear sign then from the BoE that a weak pound was of no real concern and something they would not look to prevent. With the UK enjoying extremely flexible labour laws and a fairly resistant consumer, the BoE is looking for the pound to take the “bad medicine “ahead of the Euro and bounce back in 2010.


The data coming out of the euro zone has been patchy to say the least, with the strong data out of Germany and France overshadowing the weak data from the rest of the member states,and following the problems in Greece growth in the euro zone in 2010 could lag behind that of the USA and Japan again a problem weighing on the single currency The ratification of the Lisbon treaty by the Irish has gone mainly unnoticed by the currency markets, as it was seen as a forgone conclusion. Going into 2010 what will be of most interest, is how the different member states handle their economies. It was very easy for the European Central Bank (ECB) to slash rates along with the rest of the world. However, as the global economy starts to gather pace, not all member sates will relish higher interest rates. Ireland, Greece, Portugal and Spain will not welcome higher rates and the Germans, with their huge budget surplus, have stated they will not be prepared to subsidise other member states. It could prove a real test of the “European dream”.

In the current climate, currency markets overreact and that is why a move to parity still cannot be ruled out. However, if the UK economy starts to grow and the ever increasing fiscal debt can continue to be sold into the world markets, then a strong move higher in 2010 will happen . With the threat of a double dip recession upon us, and unemployment continuing to rise in the UK and the Euro Zone, it could be the flexibility and agility of the UK economy against the one size fits all policy of the Euro Zone that sparks this move higher.

2010 will prove to be a real test for Europe as the weaker member states who have mishandled their economies during the good times find the currency markets will be very unforgiving in the bad times.

Source- Keith Spitalnick, Currency Direct

Evidence Of Green Shoots In The UK Housing Market

Further evidence of green shoots in the UK housing market at the start of the month
stimulated GBP to notch new highs for 2009 against the US dollar at 1.6744. According to
the Nationwide, house prices jumped by 0.9% in June, the second consecutive monthly rise,
bringing the annual house price falls below 10%.

However the final figure for Q1 GDP (Gross Domestic Product), revised down to a 2.4%
drop in growth, the steepest quarterly fall in 50 years, reminded the market how grim things
were at the start of the year. So with the last three quarters (Q3 08 -0.6%, Q4 08 -1.6%, Q1
09 -2.4%) showing this recession deepening, there is a lot at stake that the talk of green
shoots will buck the trend.

There was further evidence of stabilisation in the UK economy with the latest readings of the
Purchasing Manager’s Index for manufacturing and services. The positive momentum in the
manufacturing sector was confirmed with a reading of 47.0 in June from 45.4 in May and the
all important services sector held expansionary territory with a reading of 51.6.

In the US, seen as the leading indicator in this credit crisis, the data took a turn for the
worse. Despite marginal improvement in the housing sector and the manufacturing sector,
consumer confidence surprised the market by dipping back down lower from 54.9 in May to
49.3 in June and the all important non farm payrolls scuppered hopes of a solid recovery.
The non farm payrolls proved to be 100k jobs worse than expectations with 473k jobs lost in
June.

The equity markets around the world bucked their recent weakening trend to rally across the
board backed up by an impressive Chinese Q2 GDP number of 7.9% allowing the FTSE to
end the week with its strongest weekly gain for this year of 6.3%. Other significant events
included further signs of stabilisation in the housing market with the RICS housing market
survey jumping from -43.8 to, its highest reading since September -18.1 in June2007.
As we celebrated the 40th anniversary of the lunar landing, the equity markets continued
their propulsion higher as confidence grew amid the US reporting season, with 75% of
companies that have reported thus far, exceeding market expectations. The FTSE 100 has
now pushed higher on 10 consecutive trading sessions, a feat only managed twice in its 25
year history and never at this rapid 10% rate of ascendency.

Growth in the UK in Q2 fell by 0.8%, more than twice as bad as market expectations, taking
the year on year drop to 5.7% and markedly outpacing the recession in the early 1990’s,
although still behind the 6.4% drop in growth in the early 1980’s. There were however some
fresh green shoots from of the housing market, with a jump in mortgage approvals and also
on the High Street as retail sales surged by 1.2% in June, although the weather and early
discounting were cited as the transitory positive influences.

The rampaging global equity markets were again the driving force for the Dollar’s decline
last week with just a little help from the UK’s favourite dinner party topic, house prices, to
bolster Sterling. With up to 75% of major US corporate results out-stripping analyst’s
forecasts and household UK names such as BT and Cadbury doing likewise, the growing
investor optimism had translated directly into higher share and commodity prices and a
familiar sell off in the Dollar.

Source HIFX

Sterlings climb will help overseas property investors

It was a rewarding week for sterling, climbing from below €1.16 last Monday to open at €1.1750 in London this morning. There was moment's panic at the very beginning of the week when the pound dipped briefly to €1.15 but thereafter the only way was up. For overseas property purchasers and investors the exchange rate is an important consideration in Spanish Real Estate.

Nationwide reports a third successive monthly rise for house prices. Sterling close to eight-month high against the euro.

After the sell-off at the end of the previous week the market's first instinct was to buy the pound, although nobody was quite sure why. Hometrack's housing survey was vaguely helpful, inasmuch as it showed prices not falling, but investors found it difficult to get excited because prices were not going up either. It was a similar story with the CBI's retail sales report for July: At -15 the figure was better than the previous month's -17 but did nothing to motivate buyers. Money supply data on Wednesday were another net "don't care" for the market. The number of mortgage approvals went up, true enough, but as Reuters put it; "British financial institutions lent less money to households last month than at any time in the past 15 years." Gfk's index of UK consumer confidence survey produced another utterly useless figure when it remained unchanged at -25.

Investors at last woke up on Thursday morning when Nationwide's house price index came out. For a third successive month the building society saw a rise in the average price, this time by an entirely respectable +1.3%. The annual decline eased from -9.3% to -6.2%. The firm's chief economist offered an impressive hostage to fortune, saying "there is now a reasonable chance that prices could end the year slightly higher than where they started.

"Sterling's performance over the week obviously had something to do with the UK economic data - few thought they were - but mainly it was the by-product of another quiet week during which the mood of investors became more upbeat. As one of the allegedly riskier currencies it is more likely to find buyers when the market is less nervous.

The euro's profile last week was so low as to be almost subterranean. An almost complete absence of pan-euro-zone economic data meant just three useful statistics. Consumer confidence improved slightly from -25 to -23. Inflation - make that deflation - went down from -0.1% to -0.6% in the year to July and unemployment ticked up from 9.3% to 9.4%. Individual national figures did not add much to the proceedings. German consumer confidence was higher and German unemployment was steady at 8.3%. As with sterling, the euro's main claim to fame was to provide investors with an alternative to the US dollar, which was under pressure throughout the week.

Sterling starts August looking more potent than it did in July. It appears to have punched out of the €1.15-€1.17 range that held it for the previous three weeks, helped by its upward break against the US dollar. The high in June at €1.19 was sterling's best level since the beginning of December and that must be its next target. The pound has the potential to test €1.21 but, up here close to an eight-month high, buyers of the euro should take the opportunity to pick up a few more.

For more information and expert guidance on Canary Island property call 0034 928 535 044
Or contact info@goldacre-estates.com

Source Money Corp

Dollar fades despite bombs and missiles

Dollar fades despite bombs and missiles
US consumer confidence sharply higher
Sterling heads into resistance zone.

Good morning. You can tell the US dollar is out of favour when missile tests and even nuclear explosions are not enough to send it higher. Not so long ago a North Korean rocket would have investors - especially Japanese investors - scurrying for the safety of the dollar. There has been none of that in the last couple of days. The United Nations Security Council has complained but the market is unmoved.

If the threat of a South East Asian war was not enough to motivate dollar buyers there was no chance of the ecostats doing the job. It did look for a while in the morning as though the dollar might be in for a bit of a rally after losing ground last week. During the first couple of hours it added a cent against the pound and the euro. But conviction was lacking among investors. By lunchtime they had decided to seek their fortunes elsewhere. The dollar had to hand back its morning gains and it continued to drift lower overnight.

It did so despite a 40% jump in the Conference Board's index of US consumer confidence. The index rose from April's 39.2 (40.8 after adjustment) to 54.9 in May. The Case-Shiller metropolitan house price index fell by a slightly more than expected 18.7% in the year to March but that was not a bad enough number to account for the continued exodus from the dollar. Not was there any endogenous reason for the Yen's loss of ground. Like the dollar, it went down because investors are more scared of bank failures than nuclear missiles and nobody is doing bank failures this week.

The absence of that fear factor worked in sterling's favour, as it also did for the commodity dollars and other risky assets. The Canadian dollar was the best performer among the main-stream currencies, closely followed by the Aussie.

Given the complete absence of any correlation between economic data and currency performance recently (there was none from Canada, Australia or Britain yesterday) it seems pointless to bother about today's agenda. Nevertheless, tradition demands it: We can look forward to German inflation, French and Italian consumer confidence, UK mortgage approvals (the BBA version), US existing home sales and the government's house price index. Pick the bones out of that lot. There, told you it wasn't worth bothering with.

On the other side of that coin it is also fair to observe that there is nothing on the timetable likely to thwart sterling's effort on the upside. What it does have to worry about, however, is the proximity of psychological resistance for cable and technical resistance for sterling/euro. The November low and the February high are only a cent or so away and will inevitably give sterling buyers reason to consider taking some of their profits. History says the pound will fall back yet again but last week's experience shows what might happen if it does not.

Euro Exchange – the real cost to British Buyers in Canary Islands

Following the strong media exposure damping British buyers hopes of buying holiday homes in Spain due to the strong Euro, it is well worth further examination of the real cost the current exchange rates poses to those looking to take advantage of competitively priced properties on offer this year.

With the current exchange in the region of GBP 1 to Euro 1.26 compared to Euro 1.40 a year ago a property of 200,000 Euros now would cost 15,873 GBP more. This is based on paying the full amount using GBP of course, something which rarely ever happens as the majority of buyers in Canary Islands use locally sourced mortgages taken in Euros and take advantage of the Islands extended season for rental. Where the rental is payable in Euros the monthly mortgage repayments are not subject to any exchange costs.

John Goldacre from the Canary Islands property specialist Goldacre Estates points out, ‘in a typical scenario investors take advantage of the lower rates offered by Euro mortgages compared to Sterling equivalents. Where a 70% mortgage is offered locally, our clients only have to exchange 30% from Sterling to Euros, representing a minimal cost of exchange compared to paying 100% from Sterling.’

A 200,000Euro example then would actually only cost 4,762 GBP more than a year ago, not 15,873GBP. This realistic cost when compared to the localised markets of Fuerteventura and Gran Canaria www.goldacreestatesgrancanaria.com should be considered carefully. Currently Fuerteventura offers some of the lowest priced properties as it is still in the early growth stages compared to mature markets like mainland Spain or even Tenerife. Combine this with a long rental season due to year round letting capabilities and the media presented picture becomes less obvious.

John has this to say, ‘Shrewd investors have turned their attentions away from the more familiar markets of continental Europe towards smaller niche sectors offering less volume but higher quality and favoured positions. One such example is the Vista Mar project in Fuerteventura offering frontline sea view apartments of very high quality build and design that include many extras such as air-conditioning, fully fitted kitchens, 42m2 terraces, private garaging, gym facilities as well as a 25m pool for exclusive owner use. Products like this are exceptional in todays market and provide the best cover against recessions especially when there is only a 20% investment required today and then you look at local additions that make up the total investment picture such as additional investment in the airport, new golf facilities close by, a new marina, promenade, blue flag beach and ferry services to other islands close by.’

GoldAcre Estates can be contacted on www.goldacre-estates.com or e-mail info@goldacre-estates.com