Growth in Australia's housing finance commitments slowed more than expected in April, the latest figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics showed Tuesday.
The number of home loans extended in April rose 0.8 percent month-on-month, slower than a 4.8 percent increase in the previous month. Economists were looking for a 2 percent increase in April.
However, this marked the fourth consecutive increase in housing finance, supported by easier monetary conditions. The value of loans for investment housing rose 1.1 percent from March.
The number of loans approved for purchase of new dwellings fell 0.4 percent month-on-month in April, data showed.
For comments and feedback: editorial@rttnews.com