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Typical fixed rate deals are now less than 5% – but don’t expect them to get lower anytime soon
Every Friday, we take an overview of the mortgage market with industry experts and round up the best rates with Moneyfactscompare.co.uk.
Typical two and five-year fixed rate deals are sitting at less than 5% for the first time in more than two years – but borrowers have been warned that recent falls could start to go into reverse.
The average rate for a two-year fix is now 4.97%. For a five-year deal, it’s 4.99%.
Rates have been edging down slowly over recent months, marking positive news for borrowers coming off high two-year fixes, and first time buyers.
But they’re still higher than they were five years ago, meaning those coming off longer term fixed deals are likely to face more expensive bills.
Those thinking that they’ll get a lower rate if they wait a little longer might want to reconsider after reading what several experts had to say.
While economists are still expecting the Bank of England to cut the base rate again in November, brokers are anticipating mortgage rate cuts to slow or stall completely due to higher-than-expected inflation.
Is now the time to fix?
“Reductions have tended to come in small increments, but we could see that slow further or even reverse in some cases if the market reacts badly to the threat of higher inflation than was previously expected,” said David Hollingworth, associate director at L&C Mortgages.
“It does therefore look as though taking a fix now could be a good move. It will secure the rate and avoid losing out if they do tick back up a little, but should still give the chance to switch to a lower rate if further reductions feed through before the new deal completes.”
He said most borrowers opt for a fixed deal, but with the difference between the average two and five year rates being so close, the key issue is deciding how long to fix for.
The reason they are so close, he said, is due to expectations that the base rate may have a little further to fall, and could ultimately bottom out and remain pretty stable for the medium term.
“Rather than be drawn to the lowest monthly payment it’s always worth considering whether additional security could suit your circumstances better,” he said.
“No one knows what will happen to interest rates so it could give greater peace of mind and remove concern over fluctuating payments. It also avoids the need to review the deal every couple of years and any fees that could come with that.”
Peter Stimson, director of mortgages at lender MPowered, said the jump in inflation would “slam the door” on the chance of any meaningful reductions in the coming weeks.
“Competition between lenders is intense, but mortgage rates may well have fallen as far as they can for now. They may even creep up over the next month or so as lenders recalibrate in response to rising swap rates.”
Ranald Mitchell, director at brokerage Charwin Mortgages, said lenders have been keeping the market competitive, but stubborn inflation means they can only go so far.
“For millions of homeowners, that means remortgage deals won’t be getting much cheaper anytime soon,” he said.
Barclays was one of those lenders heating up the rate war this week, reducing rates for borrowers with large deposits to as low as 3.79%.
In the buy-to-let market, cuts to fixed rate deals were made by a handful of lenders, with many of the larger reductions coming from challengers and mutuals.
Coventry Building Society reduced fixed rate mortgages by up to 0.38% and the Mortgage Lender by up to 0.5%.
While the average two year buy-to-let deal has fallen to less than 5%, the five-year rate is still sitting above that threshold at 5.21%.
Adam French, head of news at Moneyfacts, said: “It is promising for landlords to see mortgage costs falling. However, the latest CPI inflation reading of 3.8% has effectively shut the door on the chances of another base rate cut this year.
“As a result, a few modest mortgage rate reductions are the best they can probably hope for in the short term as lenders adjust to the prospect of higher rates for longer.”
Here’s a look at the lowest rates currently on the market for landlords…
For those looking to save on the upfront cost of a deal, a best buy deal might be a good option.
Moneyfacts rounds up the best ones here…
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Weekly Horoscope Pisces, August 31-September 6, 2025: Work-related travel is foreseen | Astrology
Pisces (Feb 20-Mar 20)
Weekly Horoscope Prediction says, avoid controversies
Look for happy moments in love and ensure you take up new roles at the office. Do not invest blindly and instead have a proper investment plan. Health is good.
Be fair in your love life and consider taking risks at work. Despite the prosperity, you should be careful about the expenditure. Health is also on your side.
Pisces Love Horoscope This Week
Your relationship will be creative, but there may also be minor issues that demand attention. You should be ready to discuss the issues to settle them. Do not impose your concepts on the lover and instead provide the space to personally express your opinions. This will strengthen the relationship. You may also patch up with the ex-lover who had broken up on ego issues. Married females may get pregnant in the second half of the week.
Pisces Career Horoscope This Week
Pay attention to the details while handling a project. Be ready to face minor issues while settling professional issues, and clients must also be convinced about certain flaws or missing points in a project. Artists, authors, actors, musicians, and politicians will see more opportunities to prove their mettle. You may visit the client’s office, and your communication skills will be a major factor in winning a new contract. Some professionals will travel for job reasons and perhaps even to places abroad. The commitment, discipline, and integrity are unmatched.
Pisces Money Horoscope This Week
Wealth will be there, but you may have issues related to investments, especially in the stock market. Some females will win a part of the property through legal battle. Senior natives can also consider the division of property in the first half of the week. Businessmen will raise funds through promoters, while you may also expect good returns from the business. Avoid lending a large amount, as you may have issues getting it back.
Pisces Health Horoscope This Week
If you make any travel plans, try to go out to places that would make you feel more relaxed and rejuvenated. Female natives need to be careful about pain in joints, breathing issues, and migraine. Pregnant females need relief from office stress and should consider taking leave for a few days. Avoid heavy exercise and be careful while boarding a train or bus. It is good to be careful about the diet.
Pisces Sign Attributes
- Strength: Conscious, Aesthetic, Kind-hearted
- Weakness: Sentimental, Indecisive, Unrealistic
- Symbol: Fish
- Element: Water
- Body Part: Blood Circulation
- Sign Ruler: Neptune
- Lucky Day: Thursday
- Lucky Color: Purple
- Lucky Number: 11
- Lucky Stone: Yellow Sapphire
Pisces Sign Compatibility Chart
- Natural affinity: Taurus, Cancer, Scorpio, Capricorn
- Good compatibility: Virgo, Pisces
- Fair compatibility: Aries, Leo, Libra, Aquarius
- Less compatibility: Gemini, Sagittarius
By: Dr. J. N. Pandey
Vedic Astrology & Vastu Expert
Website: www.astrologerjnpandey.com
E-mail: djnpandey@gmail.com
Phone: 91-9811107060 (WhatsApp Only)
Rakshit Sharma, Ludhiana
Published on: Aug 31, 2025 04:06 am IST
The incident took place shortly after the New Delhi-Amritsar Shan-e-Punjab Express left the Ludhiana junction station here and reached the Domoria bridge
Travel Guides & Articles
Indian visitors to US in June dip over previous yr’s numbers for 1st time since 2001, except in Covid period | India News
NEW DELHI: India’s peak outbound travel month of June saw a decline in the number of Indian visitors to the US in 2025 over the previous year for the first time this millennium, barring the Covid period.With 2.1 lakh Indians headed to America in June, the number was 8% lower than 2.3 lakh in same month last year, according to data from the US commerce deptartmen’s National Travel and Tourism Office (NTTO). The provisional figure for this July shows a 5.5% fall over the same month last year.
Overall, the US has been seeing a decline in international visitors – and not just from India – in recent months. NTTO says the total non-US resident international visitor volume to the US decreased 6.2% in June 2025 over June 2024, 7% in May, 8% in March, and 1.9% in Feb. This Jan saw a 4.7% increase over same period last year, and April was up 1.3%.India is the fourth-largest source market for international visitors for the US. Since the two biggest source markets – Mexico and Canada – share a land border, India is the second-biggest overseas source market, with the UK being the largest. “Combined, these top five source markets (Brazil being the fifth) accounted for 59.4% of total international arrivals” this June, says NTTO.While travel industry biggies here say it is too early to pin the blame for the fall in Indian visitor numbers on the stricter visa regime adopted by Donald Trump in his second presidency, the impact could be more pronounced going ahead if the same continues. The reason: the US mostly issues 10-year-validity multiple entry visitor and business visas (B1/B2) so people who already have them can keep travelling. But if new visas get impacted for reasons like long appointment times or stricter issuance norms, then with a time lag impact will be visible.“We are seeing a visible impact on the student segment this year due to delay in visa issuance even after people securing college admissions. Historically, the biggest categories of visitors headed from India to the US have been visiting friends and relatives, business and students. The US was never a top leisure destination for Indians. That space has been led by Southeast Asia, the Middle East and Europe. North America came after that. Right now, apart from students, we are not seeing a dramatic impact on the other segments. But if new visa issuances are affected, they will also be hit with a certain time lag,” said a travel agent.With Indian diaspora of over 50 lakh, the US sees great demand for travel from the US.
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