Housing prices remained firm following limited supply, despite the slowdown and high interest rates, according to a Nomura report.
"House prices remained on an uptrend despite weak transaction in volumes, high interest rates and slowing economic growth, as supply has been limited with fewer projects being added, especially in key markets such as Mumbai and Delhi due to delays in the government approvals," Nomura said in a report.
According to the Reserve Bank's latest housing price index, house prices remained on an uptrend, up 24.1% in Q1, compared to an average of 20% over the last two years, it said.
The metro markets of Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, and Chennai saw the sharpest price increases of 21-42%, said the Nomura report.
The steady rise in house prices is one of the many reasons why consumption has remained well supported and inflation expectations have remained elevated, despite the stress in other segments of the economy, it pointed out. The report further said steady gains in physical assets have also encouraged households to divert savings away from financial assets.
The RBI's national house price index takes into account price situations in the nine cities -- Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore, Ahmedabad, Lucknow, Kolkata, Chennai, Jaipur and Kanpur--it said.
Housing prices in Mumbai grew at a tepid 3.1% in June quarter, while in Kolkata was the fastest at 28.9%, it said, adding Bangalore and Kanpur witnessed a fall.
Going by transaction volumes, there was a 6.4% rise on a sequential basis, the quarterly index showed, while on a y-o-y basis stood at 9.3%, it said.