Cautious optimism as footfall decline slows

Latest data from the British Retail Consortium (BRC) showed that there was cautious optimism as footfall decline slows The data (covering the four weeks 4th-31st January) showed that total UK footfall decreased by 0.6% in January (YoY), up from -2.9% in December. High Street footfall decreased by 1.9% in January (YoY), down from -0.9% in…

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Profit warnings from UK-listed construction companies reach highest level since pandemic

Listed companies in the FTSE Construction and Materials sector issued 18 profit warnings during 2025, more than three times the five warnings recorded in 2024 and the highest annual total since 2020 (33 warnings), according to an EY-Parthenon report. The data also reveals that a third (33%) of the sector’s listed firms issued at least…

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First-time buyers pessimistic about securing a property

16th February 2026 Consumer Lending | #home buying

New research from the Building Societies Association (BSA) shows that many aspiring first-time buyers could be closer to owning their own home than they think, but too many are ruling themselves out before exploring what is possible. The findings show that almost half (47%) of people who want to buy their own home have never…

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