IN BRIEF (Page 17)

UK realty prices rise

UK house prices rose 1 percent in December, ending the year 1.1 percent higher than at the end of 2008, the country's biggest mortgage lender said yesterday.

Halifax said prices in December were 9.4 percent higher than at the low point in April. Last month, the Nationwide Building Society, the No 3 mortgage lender, said house prices were up 5.9 percent for the year, following a rise of 0.4 percent in December. The differing reports were based on each company's own lending activity.