UK house prices failed to move in July, according to the latest lender data, as the escalation of conflict between Israel and Iran rattled financial markets and pushed buyers and sellers alike into a holding pattern. The flat monthly reading, following a run of modest gains through the spring, marks an abrupt pause in what had been a cautiously improving picture for the housing market since interest rates began their slow descent from post-financial-crisis highs. On an annual basis, prices remain up in the low single digits, but the month-on-month stagnation is a clear signal that macro shocks originating thousands of miles away can still exert real influence over semi-detached houses in Solihull or flats in Salford.