House prices fell unexpectedly last month but the market still registered near double-digit gains for 2006, the Halifax said yesterday.
Northern Ireland was the region that saw the biggest increase in prices last year.
Halifax said house prices dropped by 1% between November and December against forecasts for a small rise.
Experts said it was too early to say whether the drop presaged a slowdown in prices.
References: Financial Times 06/01/07 page 1, Daily Telegraph 06/01/07 page 31, The Times 06/01/07 page 55, The Guardian 06/01/07 page 36
