Rightmove, the property website, wishes its share price would do as its name suggests. The share price has headed south for the past year, slumping 40 per cent amid concerns over the strength of the UK's housing market. Results from Rightmove's own index published on Monday showed that house prices fell 4.8 per cent in year to August. But there is more to worry about. The National Association of Estate Agents has said it will launch a rival free property website, possibly as early as September. Rightmove charges members £495 to advertise, and clients may defect to cheaper options. Furthermore, the government's attempt to revive the housing market with a "stamp duty holiday" has done little for agents, with one in four claiming a sale has fallen through since the chancellor's comments. So, while interim numbers next Friday should be positive, with trading on 14 times 2008 earnings, the shares remain a wrong move.



