LONDON: House prices in London have fallen for the first time since 2009 and prices across Britain overall rose at their slowest pace in more than four years in September, mortgage lender Nationwide said on Friday.
In a latest sign of the slowdown in Britain’s housing market since last year’s Brexit vote, Nationwide said prices in London fell by an annual 0.6 percent this month.
The British capital — which has attracted property investors around the world — represented the weakest performing region in the country for the first time since 2005.
Nationally, Nationwide said house prices rose 2.0 percent year-on-year in September, slowing slightly from a rise of 2.1 percent in August and the weakest increase since June 2013.
A Reuters poll of economists had pointed to annual growth of 1.9 percent for house prices across Britain.
Nationwide said pressure on household incomes, caused by rising inflation and slow wage growth, was cancelling out some of the support for the market from rock-bottom interest rates.
The Bank of England is widely expected to raise rates soon, possibly as soon as November 2 at the end of its next policy meeting. But Nationwide said a modest rise by the BoE would probably have only a small impact.
“This is partly because the proportion of borrowers directly impacted will be smaller than in the past. In recent years the vast majority of new mortgages have been extended on fixed interest rates,” Nationwide Chief Economist Robert Gardner said.
British house prices were rising by more than 5 percent a year at the time of last year’s referendum decision by voters to leave the European Union, according to Nationwide’s index, almost three times the current pace of growth.
In month-on-month terms, British house prices rose by 0.2 percent in September after falling by 0.1 percent in August.
London house prices fall for first time in 8 years
London house prices fall for first time in 8 years
Acwa signs key terms to develop 5GW of renewable energy capacity in Turkiye
JEDDAH: Saudi utility giant Acwa has signed key investment agreements with Turkiye’s Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources to develop up to 5 gigawatts of renewable energy capacity, starting with 2GW of solar power across two plants in Sivas and Taseli.
Under the investment agreement, Acwa will develop, finance, and construct, as well as commission and operate both facilities, according to a press release.
The program builds on the company’s first investment in Turkiye, the 927-megawatt Kirikkale Independent Power Plant, valued at $930 million, which offsets approximately 1.8 million tonnes of carbon dioxide annually, the statement added.
A separate power purchase agreement has been concluded with Elektrik Uretim Anonim Sirketi for the sale of electricity generated by each facility.
Turkiye aims to boost solar and wind capacity to 120GW by 2035, supported by around $80 billion in investment, while recent projects have already helped prevent 12.5 million tonnes of CO2 emissions and reduced reliance on imported natural gas.
Turkiye’s energy sector has undergone a rapid transformation in recent years, with renewable power emerging as a central pillar of its strategy.
Raad Al-Saady, vice chairman and managing director of ACWA, said: “The signing of the IA (implementation agreement) and PPA key terms marks a pivotal moment in Acwa’s partnership with Turkiye, reflecting the country’s strong potential as a clean energy leader and manufacturing powerhouse.”
He added: “Building on our long-standing presence, including the 927MW Kirikkale Power Plant commissioned in 2017, this step elevates our partnership to a new level,” Al-Saady said.
In its statement, Acwa said the 5GW renewable energy program will deliver electricity at fixed prices, enhancing predictability for grid planning and supporting long-term industrial investment.
By replacing imported fossil fuels with domestically generated clean energy, the initiative is expected to reduce Turkiye’s exposure to global energy market volatility, strengthening energy security and lowering long-term power costs.
The company added that the economic impact will extend beyond the anticipated investment of up to $5 billion in foreign direct investment, with thousands of jobs expected during the construction phase and hundreds of high-skilled roles created during operations.
The energy firm concluded that its existing progress in Turkiye reflects a strong appreciation for Turkish engineering, construction, and manufacturing capacity, adding that localization has been a strategic priority, and it has already achieved 100 percent local employment at its developments in the country.
