![\"Barratt](\"https:\/\/dailybusinessgroup.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Baratt-Homes.png\")
Barratt Redrow has cautioned that the forthcoming spring statement could see a repeat of the brake on sales caused by the late budget.<\/p>\n
Sales have improved since the turn of the year after the pre-budget speculation about stamp duty failed to appear in Rachel Reeves\u2019 statement.<\/p>\n
However, it has alerted the market to possible \u201cimpacts from both the spring statement and political uncertainty or volatility created by the local elections [in England]\u201d in May.<\/p>\n
Adjusted pre-tax profits \u2014 the management\u2019s preferred measure of profitability \u2014 fell 14% in the first\u00a0half to \u00a3199.9m from \u00a3231.4m in the corresponding period last time. The interim dividend was cut by 9% to 5p.<\/p>\n
Shares in the company fell sharply after the opening but closed almost unchanged at 388.2p (down 0.8p).<\/p>\n
Stock prices in\u00a0London\u00a0closed mixed following news that last month the US labour market added almost double the number of jobs expected.<\/p>\n
The FTSE 100 index closed up 118.27 points, or 1.1%, at 10,472.11.\u00a0 <\/p>\n
UK GDP figures for Q4 being announced on Thursday and Grant Slade, economist at Morningstar, said: \u201cWe can expect to see annual economic growth of about 1.5% in 2025 for the UK economy.<\/p>\n
\u201cLooking ahead, we\u2019re more positive on the UK\u2019s growth outlook, with the Autumn budget proving less of a headwind to near-term economic activity than we\u2019d originally anticipated.<\/p>\n
\u201cNotwithstanding, economic growth appears set to soften sequentially in 2026, consistent with the BoE\u2019s still restrictive policy stance and weakening labour market conditions.\u201d<\/p>\n
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