Australian monthly house prices declined once again in December, adding to concerns among banks and property firms that a deterioration in prices across the country will resume this year.

This $10 million St. Lucia compound, overlooking a World Heritage site, serves as a vacation escape for its owner.

The US Conference Board Consumer Confidence Index, which had increased in December, retreated in January. The Index now stands at 61.1 (1985=100), down from 64.8 in December. The Present Situation Index declined to 38.4 from 46.5. The Expectations Index edged down to 76.2 from 77.0 in December.

The Central Bank said today that loans to households continued to decline during December, and were 3.8% lower on a year-to-year basis at end-2011, following a decline of 4.1% for the year ending November 2011. Lending for house purchase was 2.5% lower on an annual basis at end-2011, while lending for consumption and other purposes declined by 8% over the same period. There was a rise of €108m in Irish resident private-sector deposits during the month of December. Developments in household sector deposits dominated this aggregate movement, as household deposits increased by €540m during the month.

The overall KBC Bank Ireland/ESRI Consumer Sentiment Index increased to 56.6 in January 2012 from 49.2 in December. The corresponding figure for January 2011 was 48.7. The 3-month moving average weakened to 55.3.

The Eurozone (EA17) seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate was 10.4% in December 2011, unchanged compared with November. It was 10.0% in December 2010. The EU27 unemployment rate was 9.9% in December 2011, also unchanged compared with November. It was 9.5% in December 2010. The Irish jobless rate was at 14.5%; Spain at 22.9% and Austria at  4.1%.

This six-bedroom historic home in the heart of the English Cotswolds was in use as a mill from 1689 until 1950.

Markets news on stocks, currencies and oil; EU25 leaders agree to sign fiscal compact agreement in March.

German retail sales fell in December but rose in 2011. Meanwhile, the number of unemployed fell 420,000 in 2011.

Sky,  a unit of the British digital TV service, is to create more than 800 new jobs in Dublin over the next two years as it opens a new customer service centre to meet increased service demands from Irish customers. The new centre will open in August 2012 in Burlington Plaza, located in Dublin city centre, and will enable Sky to serve its Irish customers from one dedicated site for the first time.