California housing market prices set new records in January - 2004-02-20
Robust demand and low mortgage interest rates continued to support home sales in January, boosting the median housing price in California 19.4 percent over the same period a year ago.

Sales were the strongest since DataQuick Information Systems began keeping records in 1988.

A total of 39,750 new and resale homes and condos were sold statewide in January, an increase of 0.6 percent from January last year.
Read the full story at San Francisco Chronicle

Mortgage Bank A&L reports 12% jump in profits - 2004-02-20
The Alliance and Leicester has posted a 12% jump in annual profits.

Pre-tax profit for the calendar year 2003 rose to £525m at the mortgage bank, up from the £468.3m in 2002, and near the top of market expectations.

The company also announced that it is to buy back between 100 million and 150 million of shares this year.
Read the full story at BBC