HBOS's first house price index report of the year suggests a 0.4% fall in the average national house price for January... their first report of a fall since May last year. The annual figure remains the same, though... a 5.1% increase. Other significant data/comments? The occasional fall is to be expected in a slow market, and high utility bills are likely to slow the market. However enquiries and loan approvals are continuing to rise. Download a pdf of the report by clicking this.

Wednesday morning property price linkage - so how do we interpret this morning's Land Registry figures? [February 8]