Construction Orders Increase At Fastest Rate Since 1997

May PMI data indicated that the UK construction sector remained on a strong recovery path, as output growth reaching its strongest since September 2014. New order volumes increased at the fastest pace since the survey began just over 24 years ago. Input cost inflation was also at a survey-record high during May, reflecting a surge in demand for construction materials and severe supply shortages. Read more on the pbctoday website.

UK construction orders increase at fastest rate since 1997 (pbctoday.co.uk)

Activity Continues To Grow In UK Housing Market

Renewed optimism from buyers and sellers saw a continued pick-up in sales activity across the UK housing market, according to the January 2020 RICS UK Residential Market Survey, with both the number of agreed sales and new homes being listed for sale improving over the month.  At the national level, the number of homes being listed for sale increased in January. January also saw an increase in the number of people looking to buy as new buyer enquiries rose to a net balance of +23% from +19% in December. As well as this, agreed sales rose for a second month in a row (a net balance of +21%). Read more on the RICS website.

https://www.rics.org/uk/news-insight/latest-news/press-releases/refreshed-optimism-as-activity-continues-to-grow-in-uk-housing-market/

Housebuilding Returns UK Construction Sector To Growth In April

Britain’s construction sector returned to growth last month thanks to a pick-up in housebuilding, though the outlook is less certain due to a sharp fall in new orders, an industry survey shows. The IHS Markit/CIPS construction Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) rose to a three-month high of 50.5 in April from March’s 49.7, a shade higher than the reading of 50.3 forecast on average in a Reuters poll of economists. “A return to growth would normally be considered a positive month for the UK construction sector, but the weakness outside of house building gives more than a little pause for thought,” IHS Markit economist Tim Moore said. Read more on the Reuters website.

https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-britain-economy-pmi/housebuilding-returns-uk-construction-sector-to-growth-in-april-pmi-idUKKCN1S80K4