House prices surging again - 2004-02-04
A new house price surge is under way, with figures out today indicating a yearly rise of 16%. The surprise survey by Halifax means it is almost certain that loan rates will be hiked by the Bank of England tomorrow.

Halifax, Britain's biggest mortgage lender, said that the recovering economy, a shortage of sellers and the historically low level of interest rates combined to produce near-perfect conditions for a rising market.
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Capital mortgage lender's collapse reviewed - 2004-02-04
The recent collapse of Sacramento's Capitol Commerce Mortgage Co. was, as widely suspected, caused by the lender's failure to sufficiently hedge against a mortgage rate spike, according to testimony Tuesday at a state Assembly banking committee hearing.

The hearing marked the beginning of the committee's examination of whether more or different regulation is needed to ensure adequate consumer protection and a sound mortgage banking industry in the state.
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