Figures point to a soft landing for housing

THREATS of further interest rate hikes by the European Central Bank in the coming months are not generating the same amount of dire warnings as before.

At this stage, rates of 4% or possibly higher in 2008 have not been ruled out, with one US economist forecasting rates could hit 4.25% early next year.

What seems more interesting at this point is not the potential threat of rates going to as high as 4.25%, but how low-key the reaction to the threat of rate hikes have become.