House price slowdown tied to mortgage rate rises - 2004-03-03
Growth in house prices and Britain's dominant services sector both abated last month, according to figures yesterday that accorded the first hint the rises in interest rates had begun to bite.

Halifax, the mortgage lender, said the average home sold last month fetched £148,089, a 1.6 per cent rise on January, the lowest monthly gain since November. But this pushed the annual growth rate up to 17.8 per cent from 16.0 per cent, making it the fastest rate since last September.
Read the full story at Independent

U.S. services boomed in February but jobs scarce - 2004-03-03
The huge U.S. services sector grew vigorously in February but the expansion slowed from the prior month's record and job creation remained tepid, an industry survey showed on Wednesday.

Another report on Wednesday showed the buoyant U.S. housing sector has yet to run out of steam, with mortgage refinancings climbing last week to their highest level in seven months.
Read the full story at Reuters