The number of mortgages approved in the UK rose in June, it has been claimed.
According to figures produced by the Bank of England (BoE), approvals for home loan purchases totalled 47,584 last month.
This was a rise from the 44,169 approvals recorded in May and was said to be the highest level since April last year.
Remortgaging was also up, with 35,011 approvals given over the 30-day period, compared with 31,874 the month before.
"It is mortgage approvals that are seen as the key forward looking indicator for housing market activity, stated Howard Archer, chief UK and European Economist at IHS Global Insight.
He added: "The BoE data indicates that the ongoing gradual upward trend in housing market activity remains intact."
Mr Archer went on to say that lending activity was still "very low" when compared with the levels recorded prior to the onset of the recession. Recently, the Council of Mortgage Lenders claimed that the UK's mortgage market remains weak