LONDON, Jan. 7 (Xinhua) -- Britain's construction sector continued to post lackluster growth in December 2025, with the seasonally adjusted construction purchasing managers' index (PMI) reaching the second-lowest since May 2020, data from S&P Global showed on Wednesday.

The S&P Global UK Construction PMI rose modestly to 40.1 in December from 39.4 in November, but remained well below the neutral 50.0 mark that separates growth from contraction for the 12th consecutive month, according to the data.

Specifically, civil engineering was the weakest-performing category of construction activity. Both housing activity and commercial construction decreased to their greatest extent since May 2020, S&P Global said.

"UK construction companies once again reported challenging business conditions and falling workloads in December, but the speed of the downturn moderated from the five-and-a-half-year record seen in November," Tim Moore, economics director at S&P Global Market Intelligence, said.

Many firms attributed sluggish business performance to subdued demand and fragile client confidence, he added.