UK CONSTRUCTION

Housebuilding decline continues into March / Business confidence hit by Middle East crisis

AUTOMOTIVE INDUSTRY

EU trade agreements with India and Mercosur to support struggling car sector / Plastic components suppliers may benefit / Emerging market access unlikely to be game changer

AUTOMOTIVE RECYCLING

Limited availability of recyclate to meet ELVR targets / Car industry to compete with other sectors for material – Conversio study

EUROPEAN CAR INDUSTRY

Sales rebound / EVs still lead / Mixed results for majors

PLASTICS RECYCLING GERMANY

Industry caught between challenges, willingness to invest and wait-and-see approach: 'We are in a paradoxical situation' / IK Circular Packaging Days 2026

UK CONSTRUCTION

February sees sharp downturn in housebuilding activity / Weak order books and weeks of wet weather impact output

AUTOMOTIVE RECYCLING

EU: Council and Parliament agree on lower recyclate targets under ELVR / Extension to include trucks and motor bikes

EU TRADE

Commission to enact Mercosur trade deal / Move bypasses Parliament's call for legal review

EUROPEAN CAR MARKET

Sales start year on sour note / EVs dominate / Most majors suffer declines

UK CONSTRUCTION

Activity decline slows for second month in a row / Post-Budget clarity helps sector / Sentiment bounces back somewhat

FLEXIBLE PACKAGING

Prices for films in Europe declined in Q4 / Shift to discounters, private labels supports demand to limited extent

EUROPEAN CAR MARKET

Registrations end 2025 on high note / EVs dominate / VW takes chequered flag

WIND TURBINES

Europe added 6.8 GW of wind capacity in H1 2025 / Landfill ban for blades comes into effect / Turnaround year expected in 2026

UPDATE - EU TRADE

Parliament freezes US trade deal / Zero tariffs for plastics, chemicals shelved / Mercosur agreement on hold for judicial review

PET RECYCLING

EU seeks industry feedback on PET bottle recyclability guidelines

EU-US RELATIONS

European Union reconsiders trade deal with US over Trump's Greenland threats / EUR 93 bn in retaliatory tariffs on US goods back on the table – reports

AUTOMOTIVE INDUSTRY

Supplier organisation reports 104,000 job cuts over two years / EU strengths should be backed by policy / Commission's Automotive Package eases 2035 targets

PLASTIC PACKAGING GERMANY

Outlook for Q1 2026 / Companies expect stagnation / Defensive staffing policies – IK business survey

EUROPEAN CONSTRUCTION

Sector headed for a rebound? / German results fuel hopes / EU to boost affordable housing

UK CONSTRUCTION

Activity slump eases / Business optimism improves / Cost inflation down