People are back buying cars and doing home renovations again - with demand for credit on the rise.

A quarterly report by financial services company Equifax shows a 5.3 percent rise in applications in the three months to June - however mortgage finance remains subdued.

Equifax New Zealand Managing Director Angus Luffman told Kate Hawkesby says it follows seven quarters of decline.

He says the increase is being driven by unsecured credit among applicants 30 years and older.

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