Costain shrugged off the economic downturn in the first half of the year as exposure to the UK’s large infrastructure projects boosted operating profit and helped it to secure a record order book.

The Pensions Crisis

Our multimedia feature explores the dilemmas faced by individual savers, companies and governments and offers potential solutions to the pensions timebomb

The financial crisis and the recession have already led companies including Barclays, IBM and Interserve to announce consultations or plans to close to existing members. Half of UK companies with defined benefit pension schemes still open to existing members expect close them by 2012, according to a survey by Watson Wyatt, a pension consultancy.