According to the report the institutes manufacturing index rose from 58.7 in December 2010 to 62 in January, the twentieth month of expansion in the sector.

Strong demand at home and particularly overseas was driven by a weak pound and global recovery said the report.

The figures are in stark contrast to those in the construction and services sectors where figures released last week that the GDP shrank by 0.5% in the final quarter of 2010.

The UK public however are not convinced that the country is making enough progress with increasing pessimism in the face of soaring prices, higher taxes and uncertain job prospects.

A ComRes poll for ITV News reveals that 52% of us believe that the UK is on course for another wave of recession, while 48% believe that the government has lost control of the economy.

As if to prove a point drug manufacturing giant Pfizer announced yesterday that they would be shedding 2,400 jobs at their plant in Sandwich Kent, the only major employer in the area.

As outlined in Deloitte’s paper “2010 FIFA World Cup. A Turning Point for South Africa,” South Africa is reaping the rewards of hosting the Cup, including infrastructure improvements, an economic boost, and an increase of national pride.

“South Africa has been likened to a mix of the developed and developing world,” said Lwazi Bam, Public Sector Industry Leader, Deloitte Southern Africa. “On the one hand, a strong technological and economic base put it on a par with the well-developed nations of the world. On the other, infrastructure shortfalls have contributed to keeping it from realizing its full economic potential. This major global event is a catalyst for much-needed infrastructure improvements.”

The need to move tens of thousands of fans, teams, and accompanying supportpersonnel rapidly from one place to another prioritized the strengthening of South Africa’s transportation system.  The country completed much of the
first section of its new high speed Gautrain passenger railway and added bus lines.  Highways were upgraded and the city of Durban was able to finish the country’s first new green field airport in five decades.  These infrastructure projects have increased employment opportunities and provided workers long-term skills and training.

One of the challenges in building the infrastructure for the event was generating power without an unduly adverse environmental impact. New stadium facilities include such environmentally-friendly features as natural ventilation and rain water capture systems.

In addition, host cities have undertaken large-scale tree-planting projects in an effort to soak up excess carbon dioxide.  As a coal-dependent economy, South African faces challenges; however, these steps move the country toward greener energy sources.

To ensure security, the minister of police has consulted with officials from more than 30 different countries whose nationals are in the country, resulting in an unprecedented level of international cooperation.

Seeking to balance a welcoming atmosphere with rigorous security standards, 40,000 police officers, 25 percent of the country’s total force, have been assigned to the Cup.  All of these activities have required a renewed spirit of cooperation between national and local agencies and departments.

Greg Pellegrino, Global Public Sector Industry Leader, Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu, said;

“South Africa has already realized many of the benefits hoped for by any national host of a major international sporting event. The event has provided a boost to national infrastructure improvements, increased employment during the global financial crisis, and provided a unifying rallying point for a still-developing nation. Moving the FIFA World Cup from a developed economy such as Germany, to an emerging economy such as South Africa, and to a continent that has never hosted the Cup, creates an important precedent for future hosts such as Brazil in 2014,”

The much anticipated deal slashed the British Land debt and has opened the door for a £1bn sales spree over the next year, buying up cut-price property.

Chris Grigg CEO of British Land said:

“We think there will be really good opportunities to buy in the next year or so and this deal increases our firepower and our capability to buy. It has been a very tough time. The occupational market is still tough and rents are still falling but in terms of valuations, we think the market is a lot more attractive than it was three months ago.”

bovis homes group

The UK’s Bovis Home Group have seen an increase in reservations for new homes in the first half of the year, but still see no signs of stability in the housing market.

Private reservations increased by 92% during the period up to June 2009 compared to the same period last year, but still amounts to just 901 homes reserved. Private completions rose by 18% but was offset by decline in social housing completions.

Completed sales fell by 11% to 754 homes accompanied by a fall in net sales prices of 18% reducing turnover, margins and gross profits.

“Activity has to increase before we can start to think about the housing market in general becoming a more stable place,” says Bovis CEO David Ritchie, although the company are bouyant enough to go into the second half of the year looking for development land and expect to meet it’s full year volume targets of 1,800 units, ‘if activity continues at the same rate.’