Dr David Crosthwaite, chief economist at BCIS comments:
“There is positive news with the latest GDP release. Whole economy output has returned to growth (0.2%) in August after two months of flatlining, making GDP 1% higher than the same time a year ago.
“Even better news for construction, which saw a 0.4% uptick in output in August, largely due to better weather through the month.
“On a quarterly basis construction output increased by 1%. The increase was led by growth in new work output (1.7%) as growth in repair and maintenance stagnated, with growth in infrastructure output (2.7%) being the main contributor to the uplift.
“The government’s Autumn Budget will make a significant difference to how the industry fares going into 2025. I hope the Chancellor is going to be bold and deliver on Labour’s pledges for housing, infrastructure investment and decarbonisation. Crucially, I hope the government doesn’t delay already critical decisions even longer.”