UK construction output flat in July on back of slowing housebuilding market September 12, 2014 The UK's construction output was flat in July, according to month-on-month figures out this morning from the Office for National Statistics. On an annual basis, output has risen 2.6 per cent – the slowest rate of growth since November, and down from June's three month high of 5.3 per cent, the data showed. Could [...]
Ashtead thanks recovering construction markets for record profits September 3, 2014 As the housebuilders surf the wave of rising house prices, so too does Ashstead, supplier of construction tools. The company, which rents plant machinery and other tools to the construction industry, released its first quarter results today, showing record rises in pre-tax profits and revenue, enough to encourage an upward adjustment of expected full-year results. Profit [...]
UK construction index surges ahead of expectations September 2, 2014 UK construction powered ahead last month, with the Purchasing Managers Index (PMI) rising above consensus expectations. August's construction PMI rose to 64 – its highest since January, and well above the consensus line of 61.5. The markets had been expecting a drop from July's level of 62.4. It is also above its average [...]
Eurozone construction declines for second month running August 20, 2014 Construction output in the Eurozone has fallen yet again. From May to June, output went down by 0.7 per cent according to Eurostat, the statistical office for the European Union. This follows May's similarly disappointing result, when construction fell 1.4 per cent compared to April. Before that, the Eurozone had seen largely positive [...]
UK trade deficit widens but construction is up August 8, 2014 The UK's trade deficit widened in June for the third consecutive month, going up to £2.5bn from May's figure of £2.4bn. Trade deficit is a measure of the difference between a country's imports and exports – and is a contributing factor to overall economic growth. Goods trade deficit In June, exports of [...]
UK construction sector beats expectations as activity in the housing sector is at its highest since 2003 August 4, 2014 The UK construction sector is continuing to grow strongly, albeit at a slightly lower pace than in June. According to purchasing managers' index (PMI) data from Markit, the sector recorded a reading of 62.4, just above the consensus expectation of 62 and only slightly behind June's growth of 62.6. Any score above 50 indicates growth. [...]
Construction body sees industry adding about £11bn to UK economy August 3, 2014 The Construction Products Association will today forecast that the industry will grow about 10 per cent and add about £11bn to the economy over the next two years. Among its other forecasts, the association expects construction output to grow 4.7 per cent in 2014 and 4.8 per cent in 2015, and total output to rise [...]
HS2 to base construction HQ in Birmingham July 21, 2014 The construction headquarters of the High Speed 2 (HS2) railway line will be based in Birmingham it was announced yesterday, with a number of jobs to be moved from London. The new HQ is due to open in phases starting from 2015 and will employ around 1,500 staff. Ben Ruse, lead spokesman at [...]
Reed Elsevier sells construction data arm to Warburg Pincus July 21, 2014 BRITAIN’S biggest media group Reed Elsevier will today announce the sale of a 51 per cent stake in Reed Construction Data, its North American construction information business, to US private equity fund Warburg Pincus. The disposal comes as part of the restructuring of the FTSE 100-listed firm’s Business Information division which has seen it sell [...]
UK construction sector dip compounds week of disappointing economic data July 11, 2014 The British construction sector seems to have lost its momentum. In another tentative sign that the swift economic recovery construction has been enjoying of late could now be slowing, construction in the UK retreated by 1.1 per cent in May according to the Office of National Statistics, a stark drop in light of economists predicting a [...]