(RTTNews) - UK mortgage approvals declined to a 3-month low in March, data from UK Finance showed Thursday.

The number of loans approved for house purchases fell to a seasonally adjusted 37,567 in March from 38,035 in February. This was the lowest level seen since December. It was forecast to ease to 37,150.

Gross mortgage lending decreased 2.3 percent from a year earlier to GBP 20.5 billion in March.

Card spending dropped 1.2 percent in March with repayments outstripping new lending in the first quarter of 2018.

Meanwhile, growth in personal deposits grew by 1.8 percent over the year in March.