BUZZ-UK residential: bullish broker spurs yet more sector gains

** UK residential stocks notch strong gains as Jefferiesmakes sweeping recommendation upgrades

** Raises 7 stocks to "buy" vs "hold" & three to "hold" vs"underperform"

** Barratt Developments & Taylor Wimpey 3rd& 4th top risers on FTSE 100 (lifted to "hold" & "buy"respectively)

** FTSE 250 leader board loaded with Countrywide, Bellway, Crest Nicholson & Zoopla (all 4 upgraded to "buy")

** Jefferies reckons all cos it follows are reflecting onstronger Q1 than they had envisaged at its start

** Broker cites Help to Buy as a tailwind for new build,says lettings market growth has countered housing transactionweakness for the UK estate agents & with the portals,OnTheMarket.com's delivery not matched its rhetoric

** Thomson Reuters UK Homebuilding index hits all-time high on Friday

** Taylor Wimpey, Persimmon & Barratt among top tenperformers in FTSE 100 in last 3 mths, all up >25 pct; on FTSE250, Rightmove 5th-best gainer over period, up 46 pct

** Buyside see scope for sector to make record margins, &cash returns are a reality

** If anything, PMs have ruled out election risk givenpolitical parties' thoughts aligned: country needs more houses (RM: tricia.wright1.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net)