The headline seasonally adjusted IHS Markit/CIPS UK construction total activity index rose to 45.3 in November (October: 44.2), the slowest drop in overall construction output for four months.
Despite this, business activity continues to fall — a figure below 50 indicates an overall decrease compared with the previous month — with commercial building the second-worst performing category after civil engineering.
Industry figures suggested that the current political uncertainty was one of the causes.
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Jessica Levy, director of communications at the Federation of Master Builders (FMB), said: “Whoever forms the new government needs to give some much-needed confidence and certainty to this vital industry…
“Housebuilding, which forms a major part of the construction industry, should become a national infrastructure priority for the new government.”
Tim Moore, economics associate director at IHS Markit, added: “Brexit uncertainty and the forthcoming general election continued to send a chill breeze across the sector.”
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