Bank of England chief economist Andy Haldane sought to push back against market bets that the central bank's next move will be an interest rate cut, saying he would resist lowering borrowing costs unless there was a sharp downturn.

Bank of England Chief Economist Andy Haldane said the central bank would need to be flexible and quick to respond to whatever impact Brexit has on Britain's economy.

Lenders in Britain said demand for mortgages rose significantly in the second quarter and is expected to hold steady in the third quarter, a Bank of England survey showed, adding to other signs that a housing market slowdown might be bottoming out.

House prices in London fell at the fastest pace in almost 10 years in May, according to official data that also showed inflation hitting the Bank of England's 2% target for a second month running in June.

The European Union's markets watchdog has published draft guidelines to harmonise how performance fees are calculated for EU-regulated retail investment funds.