An increase in July of more than 75% in the number of home purchase loans approved by British banks, made for the most encouraging figures since February 2008, while net mortgage lending growth remained as its weakest level since the year 2000.

The British Bankers’ Association announced 38,181 mortgage applications were approved in July in comparison to 35,564 in June and up from 22,248 in July when demand for properties in the UK were are at an all time low. In addition, average loan values rose from 136,400 pounds in June to 139,700 pounds.

This month’s statistics add further proof that the housing market may be entering into a period of continued stability; however analysts hastened to temper enthusiasm by pointing oath that mortgage approvals remained below the average and were indicative of falling property prices.

Bovis Homes recently reported that they have moved into a positive cash situation, and for the first time in two years, yet another sign that of recovery in the UK’s hard pressed domestic construction industry.

The group’s who were holding a net debt package of £8 million at the end of June, are now in funds to the tune of £7 million.

It appears that the Royal Bank of Scotland have hit a stumbling block with the proposed sale of their retail and commercial assets in China to their preferred bidder, Standard Chartered. The company had entered exclusive talks with the RBS last month to acquire assets in China, India and Malaysia, and were excited at the prospect of closing the deal "within a matter of weeks " However reports now have it Standard Chartered and now a lot less enthusiastic about the deal than they were, which now appears to have been put on hold.

British steel-maker Corus announced recently that they intend to kick start production at its Llanwern works in Wales. Their decision was prompted by a revival in the demand for steel, as the global economic downturn eases and generates a rise in the price of steel. Corus, Europe’s second-biggest steel concern, are to restart production at their hot rolling mill, shut down in January due to lack of demand.

Reactivating the plant will not mean that 500 or more jobs cut by Corus at the time when they put the plant in mothballs will automatically be restored, as the company claims that their operating costs have since risen.

Home improvement chain Focus DIY has reached an agreement with their creditors, particularly their landlords, which will save them from administration.

An overwhelming majority of the company’s creditors voted in favour of the company’s proposal to enter into a Company Voluntary Arrangement (CVA).

Under the terms of the CVA, an increasingly popular insolvency process, Focus will be able to reduce annual overheads by £8.6 million by shedding leases on 38 stores where the company has ceased to operate, and in return Focus has offered their landlords partial compensation. In addition the landlords of the company’s 180 stores have agreed to accept monthly rather than quarterly rent payments until 2011.

Focus, acquired by Cerberus, the US private equity group, has been carrying a heavy debt burden which has been exacerbated by a marked reduction in consumer spending.

On the FTSE, optimism lifted shares in Diageo, producers of Smirnoff vodka and brewers of Guinness beer up 0.9 per cent to 971½ pence, in anticipation that results due to be issued on Wednesday will show that the company’s sales have taken a turn for the better. Demand is expected to be on the increase among US wholesalers with Diageo looking to increase their market share.

Shares in National Express rose to their highest level since January, gaining 3.5 per cent to 395 pence, as speculation increases that that any break-up bid could value the transport group at as much as 450 pence a share.

Shares in the Royal Bank of Scotland rose by 3.9 per cent to 54 pence, fired by speculation that the bank may try to buy back some of the seventy percent stake held by the UK government.

Profit taking weighed on car insurers Admiral Group, whose shares dropped by 2.6 per cent to close on 1044 pence, after the company released first-half results that exactly matched analysts’ expectations. The company’s stock has gained 20 per cent recently.

Increased US consumer confidence and housing data helped the FTSE 100 reverse to close up 20.57 points, at a new 10-month high of 4,916.8, at its highest level for the year. The FTSE 250 rose by a further 28.92 points to close on 8,860.81

Sterling continued to weaken on Tuesday’s trading, remaining in a 10-week trough against the Euro,

• Pound/US dollar 1.6329
• Pound/Euro 1.1429
• Pound/Japanese Yen 153.6205
• Pound/Swiss Franc 1.7364

The Obama administration is bracing for a political backlash on Tuesday when it issues national debt numbers showing federal debt rising by $9,000 billion over the next decade, a figure significantly higher than forecasts made earlier. In addition the both the White House and Congress have warned that US budget deficit will soar to almost $1.6 trillion (£978bn) this year, the highest on record,.

Fuelled by President Obama’s $787 billion stimulus package and reduced tax revenues due to the recession, this year’s deficit compares with $455 billion for 2008.

The White House also expects that US unemployment will pass a 10% figure during 2009, before slowly beginning to decline in 2010.

US stocks once again rose to record heights for the year on Tuesday as encouraging economic data was enough to keep the rally going as well as optimism sparked by Ben Bernanke staying on for a second term as chairman of the Federal Reserve.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average and the NASDAQ Composite index both gained 0.3 per cent to 9,539.29 and 2,024.23, respectively.

Commodities markets ticked lower on Tuesday as investors paused for breath following the recent run higher in anticipation for a swift and sustained world economic rebound.

• NUMIS UK LAUNCH I was 17 years old when I first got the...
• Where Will You Be In 5 Years? When you're a kid, the word 'goal' is hard to...
• Is 30 Cents Too Much To Spend on Rent? I use Google Analytics and Sitemeter to track my website...

Tags: Admiral Group, Banking, Bovis Homes, British Bankers Association, British Economy, British Pound, Cerberus, Congress, Construction, Corus, Currency, Diageo, Dow Jones, Economy, Financial News, Focus DIY, FTSE, Guinness, Loans, Money, Money Markets, Mortgage, mortgage application, Mortgages, NASDAQ, National Express, Obama, Property Prices, Royal Bank of Scotland, Smirnoff vodka, Standard Chartered, Stock Markets, UK Banks, UK government, US budget, White House