
UK house prices up 1.7% in December, lifting annual rise to 4%
UK house prices leapt unexpectedly in December, rising by 1.7% from the previous month to push the annual increase to 4%, according to Halifax data. Combined with November’s rise of 1.2% month on month, the Halifax index recorded a 2.9% gain across the last two months of 2019, the strongest result since February 2018. Against the backdrop of a bitterly fought general election campaign and concerns that the outcome may leave the UK’s relationship with the EU uncertain, house b