Deepening uncertainty in the housing market has led Travis Perkins to warn of a short-term growth slowdown. Financial Times, The Times, Daily Telegraph
The chain of builders’ merchants said, however, that further acquisitions were likely since struggling independent counterparts would want to sell up.
The group, which also owns Wickes, the DIY chain, said yesterday the outlook was similar to that it foresaw at the end of 2004. Subsequent like-for-like sales then fell 0.5% in the first half of 2005.