Uzbekistan Introduces Decree to Ensure Sustainable Housing Market and Mortgage Development Uzbekistan: Uzbekistan’s President Shavkat Mirziyoyev has signed a decree “On Measures for the Sustainable Development of the Housing Market and Mortgages” to create a balanced residential construction and housing acquisition system amid economic growth and urbanization. The decree targets doubling annual housing construction to 421,000 units and expanding the mortgage loan portfolio to

Bricoman to Rebrand as Tecnomat in France by Spring 2026 France: The French building materials chain Bricoman will officially rebrand as Tecnomat in spring 2026, following the same step taken by its parent company Adeo in Italy three years ago. The professional distribution chain currently operates 37 locations across France. As part of the transition, the future Tecnomat stores will offer 20,000 items in stock, along with 350,000 additional products available through the onl

construction THAILAND: The Thai condominium market experienced a notable slowdown in the first half of 2025, according to Knight Frank analysts. Major developers such as Sansiri, Sena, Major Development, and SC Asset delayed the launch of new projects, Real Estate Asia reported. However, experts highlighted opportunities in the secondary market, where significant discounts are currently available. "Over the past six months, no significant projects for the construction of new

Madinah Chamber of Commerce and Industry SAUDI ARABIA: Saudi Arabia is implementing development projects worth over SAR 200 billion (US$56 billion) in Madinah to expand infrastructure for the rising number of pilgrims, projected to reach 30 million by 2030. According to the Madinah Chamber of Commerce and Industry, a total of 224 projects are under way, including 15 government-led, 10 semi-government, and 199 private-sector initiatives. The projects cover more than 30 million

National Construction Code AUSTRALIA: Australia building ministers have agreed to pause major changes to the National Construction Code (NCC) until mid-2029, with only essential quality and safety measures taking effect. The measures include improved water management in commercial and apartment buildings, enhanced carpark fire safety standards, commercial energy efficiency reforms, and condensation mitigation. Planned requirements for home EV chargers and new residential ener

Saudi Arabia SAUDI ARABIA: Saudi Arabia National Housing Co. (NHC) signed agreements to develop more than 24,000 homes as part of a 100,000-home Saudi-Chinese plan to expand residential supply. The deals were finalized during an Asian tour by Minister of Municipalities and Housing Majid bin Abdullah Al-Hogail, who visited China and South Korea to strengthen partnerships in housing, infrastructure, and smart cities. “Al-Hogail emphasized that the tour is part of a comprehensiv

Premium Building Materials in Bangladesh Bangladesh: AkijBashir Group and MHM Properties Ltd. have signed a strategic partnership to advance premium building material solutions and enhance customer value in Bangladesh’s real estate and construction sectors. Under the Memorandum of Understanding signed on October 14, MHM Properties Ltd. will feature and distribute AkijBashir’s leading brands including Akij Ceramics, ROSA Sanitaryware, Akij Particle Board Mills Ltd., Akij Door,

New Zealand Residential Construction Costs Show Sustained Slowdown in September Quarter New Zealand: New Zealand’s residential construction costs rose only marginally in the September quarter, signalling a continued slowdown as the housing market stabilises and lending conditions ease ahead of 2026. The Cordell Construction Cost Index (CCCI) showed the cost to build a standard single-storey brick and tile home increased 0.4%, down from 0.6% in Q2 and well below the long-term

Construction AUSTRALIA: Australia’s construction sector closed the 2024–25 financial year on a subdued note, with the latest ABS Building Activity data for the June 2025 quarter revealing a decline in both dwelling commencements and completions, highlighting growing concerns that progress under the National Housing Accord is already falling behind schedule. According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), dwelling commencements dropped by 4.4% to 45,156 during the June

Building CANADA: Building permits in Canada continued their decline in August, dropping 5.9% year-on-year, according to Statistics Canada. The total value of permits fell by $139.2 million from July, reaching $11.6 billion, a 1.2% monthly decrease. The largest declines were recorded in Ontario, Alberta, and British Columbia, while Quebec posted a modest increase. Single-family home permits decreased by $112.3 million, primarily driven by Ontario and Alberta, partially offset

India Launches Next Phase of Housing Project in Sri Lanka's Bandarawela Shri Lanka: India on Sunday launched the second stage of Phase IV of its housing project in Sri Lanka’s central hill town of Bandarawela, reinforcing development cooperation between the two nations. The initiative, part of India’s major assistance programme to construct 65,000 houses across Sri Lanka, aims to rehabilitate internally displaced Indian-origin Tamils. Under Phase IV, India has pledged 10,000

Saudi Arabia Leads GCC Projects Market in Q3 2025 Saudi Arabia: Saudi Arabia led the Gulf Cooperation Council’s projects market in the third quarter of 2025 with USD 28.1 billion in contract awards, accounting for 51.3 percent of total GCC activity, according to Kamco Invest. Total GCC awards dropped 27 percent year-on-year to USD 54.8 billion, while nine-month figures fell 30.5 percent to USD 154.4 billion. In Saudi Arabia, power projects topped USD 9.8 billion, constructio

Dwarka Expressway and UER-II Drive Housing Demand in Delhi-NCR India: The Dwarka Expressway and Urban Extension Road-II (UER-II) have become major growth corridors fueling housing demand across Delhi-NCR, according to reports by Anarock Property Consultants and Cushman & Wakefield. Improved connectivity and proximity to Gurugram and Dwarka have spurred property interest, with housing supply in the region rising 23% in the first half of 2025 compared with last year. Property p

Bahrain Launches Second Phase of Residential Project in Madinat Salman Bahrain: Bahrain’s Ministry of Housing and Urban Planning has launched the second phase of its Advanced Generation Residential Buildings Project in Madinat Salman, which will deliver 432 new apartments for citizens following the successful completion of Phase I comprising 1,382 units, reported BNA. Minister Amna bint Ahmed Al Rumaihi said the initiative aligns with the Government Programme (2023–2026) unde

Uttar Pradesh Real Estate Regulatory Authority INDIA: The Uttar Pradesh Real Estate Regulatory Authority (UP RERA) has approved 21 new projects valued at US$792.3 million, paving the way for 10,866 housing and commercial units across the state. The clearances were granted during the 184th meeting of the Authority chaired by Sanjay Bhoosreddy. “The approval of 21 projects, adding nearly 11,000 new units, highlights the momentum of real estate growth in Uttar Pradesh. With inve

New Zealand Sees 1.3% Rise in Annual Home Consents Driven by Multi-Unit Developments New Zealand: New Zealand recorded 34,078 new homes consented in the year ended August 2025, marking a 1.3 per cent increase compared with the previous year. The rise was supported by growth in both stand-alone homes, which increased by 1 per cent to 15,775 units, and multi-unit dwellings, up 1.6 per cent to 18,323 units. The increase was largely driven by apartment and townhouse developments

Vietnam Urges Acceleration of Affordable Housing Development Vietnam: Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has directed ministries...

UK Construction Sector Sees Decline in Project Starts Amid Mixed Performance UK: The UK construction sector faces a slowdown in Q4 2025...

UK Construction Sector Shows Continued Contraction in September UK: The UK construction sector remained in contraction in September,...

Eurozone Construction Sector Shows Further Contraction in September Europe: The Eurozone construction sector continued to contract in...