Dollar slides after US president exempts carmakers from 25% tariffs on Canada and Mexico; euro and sterling reverse earlier gains

Britain’s construction sector has suffered its biggest downturn since May 2020, according to a closely-watched survey.

There were steep declines in housebuilding and civil engineering activity during February, according to the latest purchasing managers’ index from S&P Global. At the same time, input cost inflation accelerated to the highest level in two years.

Market conditions remained challenging across all regions in 2024, with worsening sentiment and reduced confidence in Europe during the second half of the year.

2024 was another challenging year for global hiring markets. Several factors acted to dampen client and candidate confidence levels, therefore slowing the pace of job moves and impacting our financial performance.

Employer caution remains high ahead of forthcoming national insurance contributions increase.