The housing market in the US showed an uptick in June, rising 11 per cent, the biggest monthly increase since December 2000.

Figures from the US Commerce Department show sales of new homes rose to an annual rate of 384,000. In May the figure was 346,000. Nonetheless, that rise is still more than 20 per cent below June 2008’s sales figure and was likely fuelled by a drop in prices – the average house price falling from $219,000 in May to $206,200 the following month.