According to the latest figures from the Office of National Statistics (ONS) construction industry capital spending fell 10.4 per cent compared to the previous quarter. The overall figure for the rest of the economy was down 0.5 per cent.

Compared with the fourth quarter of 2006, total manufacturing investment rose by 3.5 per cent, and total non manufacturing investment rose by 1.5 per cent. Construction and other production fell by 1.3 per cent and services rose by 1.8 compared with the fourth quarter of 2006