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Important information: The value of investments can go down as well as up so you may get back less than you invest. Investors should note that the views expressed may no longer be current and may have already been acted upon. This is a third-party news feed and may not reflect Fidelity’s views.

Thursday newspaper round-up: Housing market, Tata Steel, electric cars

(Sharecast News) - The housing market has had some "respite" in recent weeks as activity picked up amid easing mortgage rates after a challenging 2023, according to surveyors. Inquiries from new buyers are approaching a flatter trend, after falling in recent months, according to the December report from the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (Rics). - Guardian Concern is mounting that Tata Steel will confirm plans to shut down much of its production at the Port Talbot steelworks during a crunch meeting with trade unions, putting thousands of jobs at risk. Three sources said they believed that Tata, owned by the Indian billionaire Ruia brothers, was on the brink of confirming plans to close Port Talbot's two blast furnaces, ending more than a century of making steel from scratch in south Wales. - Guardian

Electric cars lose as much as half of their value after just three years on the road, new figures show, as the rate of depreciation far outstrips conventional equivalents. Research from Auto Trader said there were "unsustainable levels of depreciation" in the electric car market, with used prices of battery-powered vehicles dropping by 23pc in the last year alone. - Telegraph

Chinese brands will launch a price war and will capture a sixth of the UK electric car market by 2030, according to Auto Trader. With BYD, China's largest electric car manufacturer, having overtaken Tesla as the world leader in zero-emission vehicles and with Shanghai Automotive's MG brand already out-selling Volkswagen and BMW in the segment in Britain, a new order is coming, according to the online car-buying platform's latest The Road to 2030 report. - The Times

Britons doubled their spending on bowling in December compared with the same month a year ago, according to Lloyds Bank. People also spent more on booking holidays last month, with demand for cruises up by more than a quarter compared with December 2022, the high street lender said. - The Times

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Sunday newspaper round-up: Panama Canal, Warhammer, Thames Water
(Sharecast News) - Donald Trump is asking that the Panama Canal be returned to the US unless Panama addresses his criticism of how the waterway is managed. In a post on social media platform Truth Social, Trump described the current arrangement as a complete 'rip-off' which will "immediately stop". He also warned against that the key interoceanic route would not be allowed to fall into the "wrong hands". He also appeared to caution against possible Chinese influence in the canal. - Guardian
Friday newspaper round-up: Aldi, Richard Desmond, Collateral
(Sharecast News) - The grocery industry watchdog is to make a rare intervention in a Yorkshire sprout grower's £3.7m legal case against Aldi over the discount chain's decision to terminate a long-term supply deal. In papers filed at the high court, W Clappison Ltd, which produced sprouts for Aldi's UK arm for 13 years, said its supply agreement was ended in February last year at planting time without reasonable notice so it was unable to find new clients immediately. It said it was forced to cease sprout production and sell off its machinery. - Guardian
Friday newspaper round-up: Aldi, Richard Desmond, Collateral
(Sharecast News) - The grocery industry watchdog is to make a rare intervention in a Yorkshire sprout grower's £3.7m legal case against Aldi over the discount chain's decision to terminate a long-term supply deal. In papers filed at the high court, W Clappison Ltd, which produced sprouts for Aldi's UK arm for 13 years, said its supply agreement was ended in February last year at planting time without reasonable notice so it was unable to find new clients immediately. It said it was forced to cease sprout production and sell off its machinery. - Guardian
Thursday newspaper round-up: Water bills, Brexit, Imperial Brands
(Sharecast News) - Households in England and Wales will see their water bills rise by an average of £31 a year, as suppliers pay to fix leaky pipes and cut pollution. The industry regulator Ofwat said on Thursday it would allow companies to raise average bills will rise by £157 over five years to an average of £597 by 2030 to help pay for investment. - Guardian

Important information: This information is not a personal recommendation for any particular investment. If you are unsure about the suitability of an investment you should speak to one of Fidelity’s advisers or an authorised financial adviser of your choice. When you are thinking about investing in shares, it’s generally a good idea to consider holding them alongside other investments in a diversified portfolio of assets. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future returns.

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