Mortgage lending in the UK remained broadly flat in September as housing market activity stalled, figures showed today.

There was fresh evidence of a cooling British housing market today after figures showed the number of home loans there slumping more than 20% in December.

British borrowers could be spared another rate hike this year after the Bank of England today held interest rates at 5.75% amid growing unease over the impact of recent financial turmoil.

There was little Christmas cheer for the housing market today with three sets of figures providing further evidence of slowing sales.

Conflicting data over the state of the British housing market was released today with figures showing that price growth was slowing but mortgage lending booming.