BERLIN (dpa-AFX) - The financial services provider Hypoport is on the up again following the slump in the real estate market. In the first quarter, the volume of finance brokered on the Europace platform was more than ten percent higher than a year earlier for the first time since the start of the crisis, as the company announced in Berlin on Thursday. The news was well received on the stock market.

Hypoport's shares gained a good two percent at times in the morning. By lunchtime, it was still one of the stronger stocks in the small-cap index SDax, up 1.2 percent to 230.80 euros. Since the turn of the year, the share has thus gained more than 30 percent in value. Since the interim low in October, the share price has even risen by more than 130 percent. However, the share is still a long way from its record price of more than EUR 600 in 2021.

In the first quarter, Hypoport's Europace platform benefited from a general upturn in demand for real estate loans and higher market shares. The volume of loans processed grew by 11.6 percent year-on-year to €18.4 billion. In particular, business with savings banks and cooperative banks grew strongly.

Following the growth in the first three months, CEO Ronald Slabke is sticking to his targets for the year: "We see our forecast of a noticeable upturn in the market in 2024 as a whole confirmed by the successful first quarter." Slabke expects a double-digit percentage increase in Group sales to at least 400 million euros. Earnings before interest and taxes are expected to reach 10 to 20 million euros./stw/nas/jha/