Building projects suffer slowdown

BUILDERS have suffered their worst month since the immediate aftermath of the Brexit vote as work dried up, according to the latest snap shot of the industry.

IHS Markit said its index of activity in the construction sector – where scores above 50 show growth and scores below 50 show decline – hit just 48.1 in September.

That marked the worst performance since July last year, the month after the EU referendum, and the first fall in activity for 13 months, figures showed.

While house building expanded last month, civil engineering and commercial property development suffered as a lack of new infrastructure projects and political and economic uncertainty hit business, said IHS.