Mortgage approvals in UK soar

London

UK MORTGAGE approvals rose to the highest level in more than a year in April in a sign the housing market is strengthening.

Approvals rose to 68,076, the most since February 2014, from an upwardly revised 61,945 in March, the Bank of England said in London on Tuesday. Economists had forecast 63,500. The 6,131 increase on the month was the largest since February 2009.