The headline Construction Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) rose to 44.7 in July from 38.4 in June, its highest reading since March, but remained below the 50.0 threshold that separates growth from contraction.
All three main categories of construction work posted sharp declines, with residential activity the weakest at 36.0.
The index rose sharply from December’s five-and-a-half year low of 40.1 to 46.4 – the highest since June 2025.
The index came in at 40.1, up from 39.4 in November, but stayed below the 50.0 mark for the twelfth month running, signalling contraction.
The industry PMI dropped to 44.1 in October from 46.2 in September, staying below the 50.0 mark for the tenth month in a row.
The headline index rose to 46.2 in September, up from 45.5 in August.
The downturn was led by sharp declines in housing and civil engineering, though the overall fall was less severe than in July.
The S&P Global UK Construction Purchasing Managers’ Inde.x™ (PMI®) rose to 48.8 in June, up from 47.9 in May, indicating the slowest contraction in overall construction activity
Fragile client confidence and elevated borrowing costs were often cited as reasons for weaker sales.