Retailers and builders spur recovery hopes

Retailers and housebuilders provided fresh hope of an end to the UK recession on Wednesday, in spite of mixed messages emanating from the financial sector

• Competition hots up as M&S goes into battle
• Rose calls an end to downturn

Middle East begins to rebuild

This time a year ago, the party that the global construction industry had enjoyed in the Middle East looked to be well and truly over.

Backlash at building sector tax proposals

A proposed crackdown on tax-dodging by builders would penalise the self-employed, boost the black economy and increase construction costs, according to critics

Fears of homes shortage

The UK housing shortage will return with a vengeance in the next decade, as building levels remain stagnant while demand soars, suggests new research

Charges and debt drag on Ferrovial

Infastructure group sees pick-up in traffic at airports and on toll roads but Spanish construction buisness suffering

Amec to pay out after SFO action

The engineering consultancy is to pay almost £5m under a civil recovery order obtained by the Serious Fraud Office

Caterpillar boosts US recovery hopes

The world’s biggest maker of earth-moving equipment and heavy duty engines is rehiring workers

Cash raisings by building groups soar

Surge driven by Chinese infrastructure spending, which has soared as as Beijing tries to break the economy out of the global slowdown