In Ireland, the housing index refers to the Residential Property Price Index (RPPI) and it is designed to measure the change in the average level of prices paid for residential properties sold in the country. The RPPI is compiled using data on mortgage drawdowns provided on a monthly basis by 8 of the main Mortgage Lending Institutions under Section 13 of the Housing Act (2002). It is transactions based; meaning that prices are recorded only where a sale occurs. Not all residential property transactions are funded by a mortgage (i.e. they are cash based) and these transactions are excluded from the scope of the index.
A higher than expected figure should be seen as positive (bullish) for the EUR while a lower than expected figure should be seen as negative (bearish) for the EUR.