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Two reports from the weekend's business news :

1/ House prices will fall in 2017, according to forecasts from Countrywide. In the first post-BRExit forecast, the UK's largest estate agency said house prices will fall by 1pc across the country in 2017, before rising by 2pc in 2018.

It added that house price rises will top out by 2.5pc as market cools and stablises in 2nd half in 2016.

The price falls are just not due to BRExit uncertainty but also result of Stamp Duty hikes.

2/ Sterling in longest rally since EU Vote. The £ has risen against the dollar for 2 straight weeks amid a raft of positive UK news, rounding off its best performance against the greenback.

Data yesterday showed upbeat consumers are driving economic growth in Britain, Germany and the US, raising expectation the Western world's leading economies will continue to expand despite downbeat forecasts in wake of EU vote. Britain's economy accelerated in the 2nd quarter as upbeat households splurged and manufacturers bounced back from a slump.

Consumption rose by nearly 1pc and factory output rose by 1.9pc during the preceding 3 month period.

Growth will slow during 2nd half in line with many economists forecasts, however firms didn't seem too worried with business investments rising compared to a first quarter decline.