The construction sector slowed for the second month in a row in March as Brexit uncertainty continued to put a dampener on investment.
The IHS Markit/CIPS purchasing managers’ index edged up slightly to 49.7 from 49.5. However, any figure below 50 signifies a contraction.
The decline in construction activity represents the first back-to-back fall in output levels since August 2016, just after the Brexit referendum. Housebuilding continued to deliver moderate growth, but civil engineering fell and commercial projects dropped off at the fastest rate since September 2017.
