BUZZ-UK housebuilders: Jefferies tags as 2016 outperformers

** Housebuilders trade up as Jefferies says it expectssector shares to outperform the UK market during2016 as supply is unlikely to catch up with booming demand

** Berkeley & Barratt Developments up morethan 3 pct each after being upgraded to "buy" from "hold" & 2ndand 3rd top FTSE gainers

** Jefferies hikes TP on Berkeley to 4650p (vs analysts'mean of 3713p), Barratt to 807p (vs 660p), citing highvisibility of cashflows, strong forward order books &ever-increasing government support amid an acute housingshortage

** Galliford Try up 2.4 pct & among top FTSE 250gainers, with Jefferies bumping it up to "buy", TP hiked to1950p

** Redrow up c.2 pct, Crest Nicholson,Taylor Wimpey, Persimmon, Bellway andBovis rise between 1.3 pct-1.7 pct

** The UK housebuilders index massivelyoutperformed the FTSE 100 last year (RM: esha.vaish.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net)