Investing.com - House prices in the U.K. rose more than expected in September, easing concerns over the health of the housing market, industry data showed on Wednesday.
In a report, the Halifax Bank of Scotland said its House Price Index rose by a seasonally adjusted 0.6% last month, above expectations for a 0.2% increase.
U.K. house prices were flat in August, downwardly revised from a previously reported increase of 0.1%.
House prices in the three months to September were 9.6% higher than in the same three months a year earlier, in line with forecasts and slowing from a gain of 9.7% in August.
GBP/USD was trading at 1.6073 from around 1.6075 ahead of the announcement, while EUR/GBP was at 0.7863 from 0.7862 earlier.
Meanwhile, European stock markets were mostly lower after the open. London’s FTSE 100 dipped 0.3%, the DJ Euro Stoxx 50 inched up 0.1%, France’s CAC 40 fell 0.1%, while Germany's DAX shed 0.35%.