Construction sector ‘turns a corner’ as housebuilding jumps September 5, 2024 Tim Moore, economics director at S&P Global Market Intelligence, said the recovery in housebuilding was the "most notable development" in August.
Playing nice with trade unions won’t fix public services September 5, 2024 With trade unions promising further strike action despite generous pay settlements, Labour have found themselves in a bind of their own making, say Matthew Lesh Throughout the election campaign, Keir Starmer repeatedly pledged to end strikes by engaging in constructive dialogue with the unions. This always sounded like a pretty hollow promise. How could simply talking to [...]
Grenfell Tower fire: ‘Systematic dishonesty’ by construction firms, report reveals September 4, 2024 The 72 deaths in the Grenfell Tower fire were avoidable, and the blaze was a result of “decades of failure” by government and the construction industry, a report into the disaster has concluded. Scores of people who lost their lives in the blaze which engulfed the 24-storey tower block in north Kensington, on June 14, [...]
Barratt: Profit halves at housebuilder but firm optimistic after Redrow deal September 4, 2024 Housebuilder Barratt reported a halving in profit and drop in completions amid a challenging housing market, but has said it is optimistic about the future. Barratt said its total home completions in the year ended 30 June reached 14,004, down 18.6 per cent from 17,206 in 2023 but at the upper end of the company’s [...]
Man United drop clear hint over £2bn, 100,000-seater new stadium September 4, 2024 Manchester United have opened talks with the Rugby Football League over a long-term deal to host the Super League Grand Final at Old Trafford – the clearest hint yet that they are pressing ahead with plans to build a new 100,000 stadium next door. The RFL’s current staging agreement with United expires following next month’s [...]
Michelmersh: Profit sags at brick maker but order book hits multi-year high ahead of building boom September 3, 2024 Brick maker Michelmersh reported a decline in operating profit during the first half of 2024 as economic uncertainty and high interest rates hit housebuilding. Michelmersh’s operating profit fell to just £4.1m in the first half of the year, down 32.8 per cent from the first six months of 2023, the group disclosed in its half-year [...]
PRS REIT attempts to negotiate with rogue shareholders September 2, 2024 Embattled PRS REIT has promised to negotiate with the group threatening to take control of its business. Last week, the investment trust faced calls from a group of investors, including Waverton Investment Management and CCLA Investment Management, to replace chair Stephen Smith and non-executive director Steffan Francis and adjust the trust’s strategy. The group controls [...]
US jobs data takes centre stage as markets bet on Fed rate cut September 1, 2024 US jobs data will take the spotlight for global financial markets this week as investors look for clues on how far the Federal Reserve might go in cutting interest rates.
House prices dip unexpectedly as interest rates continue to dampen demand August 30, 2024 House prices dipped unexpectedly for the first time since April this month, but a closely watched survey today suggests that the outlook for the property market is likely to strengthen as interest rates are reined in. In its closely watched house price index today, mortgage lender Nationwide said British house prices slipped by 0.2 per [...]
Why we bought a decommissioned nuclear power station August 30, 2024 Seventy years since a Brit first split the atom, it’s time to re-energise our nuclear industry and reclaim leadership in the technology of the future, says Lord Grade Down an unassuming country lane in Gloucestershire, out of the market town of Berkeley and toward the Severn Estuary, lies the site where Britain’s next nuclear power [...]