英国住宅建设创五年来最快降速 工党住房目标面临严峻考验

Core Viewpoint - The UK residential construction sector is experiencing its fastest decline since the first COVID-19 lockdown, indicating that the Labour government's goal to accelerate the construction industry is likely failing [1] Group 1: Construction Sector Performance - The S&P Global Construction Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) rose slightly from 39.4 in November to 40.1 in December, but remains the second worst performance since May 2020 and below economists' expectations of 42.3 [1] - An index reading below 50 indicates that the industry is in a contraction phase [1] Group 2: Residential Construction Specifics - The residential construction sub-index fell from 35.4 to 33.5, marking the lowest point in over five and a half years, reminiscent of the pressures faced during COVID-19 restrictions [1] - The Labour Party had previously promised to build 1.5 million homes within five years to attract younger voters, but this target now appears increasingly unlikely to be met [1] Group 3: Government Response and Market Conditions - The government is attempting to stimulate construction by relaxing planning regulations; however, high interest rates and a sluggish housing market have derailed these plans [1]