Fed may get more aggressive with interest rates - 2005-03-21
When Alan Greenspan and the rest of the Federal Reserve's Open Market Committee convened Tuesday, a rate hike is all but guaranteed. According to the Chicago Board of Trade's federal funds future contract, traders are factoring in a 100 percent chance of an increase in short-term rates.

David Rolley, co-head of fixed income with Loomis Sayles and co-manager of the Loomis Sayles Global Bond fund, said the Fed may be especially worried about home price inflation, adding that Greenspan is trying to steer long rates higher to cool off the real estate market. Long-term rates have more of an effect on mortgage rates.
Read the full story at CNN Money

Survey shows consumer confidence in property - 2005-03-21
Consumer confidence in the property market is healthy, according to a survey conducted by the Government’s Economic and Social Research Institute and the mortgage firm IIB Homeloans.

About three-quarters of respondents said they expected house prices to increase in the coming year, with only 6% predicting a fall in prices. Most respondents also said they expected house prices to rise by around 5%-a-year in the coming five years.
Read the full story at Sunday Business Post