Thu, 04 Dec 2025

Thu, 04 Dec 2025 Construction sector shrinks at fastest pace since pandemic, survey suggests

Some analysts said the score was a mere fluctuation in the run-up to the Budget.

* The UK's construction sector shrunk at its fastest pace since the pandemic in November.
* Output fell due to uncertainty ahead of the Budget and a downturn in infrastructure, housebuilding, and commercial construction.
* S&P Global's Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) for construction fell to 39.4 in November from 44.1 in October.
* Employment in the sector dropped for the 11th month in a row, with job cuts being the most marked since August 2020.
* Optimism in the sector fell to its lowest level since December 2022 due to client budget cutbacks and concerns about economic growth prospects.
* Analysts questioned whether the survey results were too pessimistic, suggesting that activity would pick up following the Budget.
  >>