Mixed reaction to plans to lower barrier on foreign workers to ease skills shortage
Government plans to ease the industry’s chronic shortfall of workers and skills by loosening the rules on employing foreign workers have had a mixed reception from industry bodies.
The aim to extend the existing Shortage...
Ukraine and inflation drive construction optimism to 18-month low
A continued rise in construction output last month was offset by the combined impact of inflationary pressures and the war in Ukraine which drove industry confidence down to the weakest since October 2020, according...
Supply chain problems and job losses despite recovering construction output – HIS Markit
Stretched supply chains led to rising costs in November and employment trends remained weak despite construction output remaining on a recovery path led by a strong house building sector, according to the latest survey...
Shortage of subbies adds to construction gloom as order books dip towards lockdown low
A rapid drop in availability of construction subcontractors last month added further pressure to ongoing transport, staff and materials shortages, taking order books to the lowest level since the January lockdown, according to the...
Price hikes hit manufacturers’ hopes after two years of growth
Product manufacturers reported an eighth successive quarter of sales growth in Q2, according to the Construction Products Association’s State of Trade Survey, but expectations have been dampened by accelerating cost inflation.
Within the overall, RMI...
New business adds to growing optimism in construction
UK construction shoed marginal growth last month but the rate of new business growth was the fastest since May 2023 and business optimism improved to reach the highest in over two years, according to...
Tumbling materials prices in steepest decline since ’09, housing demand down – S&P
Construction purchasing prices fell more rapidly than in 14 years while subdued demand for new housing added to the continuing decline in residential building, all against a backdrop of continuing decline in construction activity,...
Industry still suffering under supply chain, inflation and cost of living
Materials inflation, now running at at 25%, supply chain issues, pandemic issues and Ukraine are all contributing to continued uncertainty in the industry, according to the latest monthly Snap Analysis from Barbour ABI.
Chief Economist...
More gloom ahead, say CPA and S&P
Further evidence of growing pessimism over the future of the industry has come from two reports this week, with the Construction Products Association forecasting a 3.9% drop in output next year and the latest...
‘Grey Belt’ plans welcomed to unlock small sites
Labour Party proposals to introduce five ‘golden rules’ for ‘Grey Belt’ development have been welcomed by the FMB as an important initiative to unlock small sites more homes.
Chief Executive Brian Berry said: “The UK...
