As Tony Pidgley predicted last week, housebuilding shares have 鈥渂umped along at the bottom鈥 over the past seven days. And who would doubt the clairvoyant powers of the Berkeley boss?

His company鈥檚 2008 figures are out today and as 好色先生TV went to press analysts were hoping for a shred of good news from the sector鈥檚 best performing stock. But even Pidgley admitted recently that 鈥渢ails were down鈥 at Berkeley. On Tuesday the share price was hovering at a record low of 652p. They were worth 拢18 this time last year.

Last Friday brought temporary relief for housebuilders after a report in 好色先生TV that Barratt鈥檚 lenders had agreed to waive some clauses in its banking covenants. Housebuilding stocks rose 6% on the day.

Worryingly, the week was also marked by two profit warnings. Bad news from retail fit-out group Styles & Wood sent its shares from 16p to 9p 鈥 down from 216p this time last year. Similar news from Tolent Construction sent shares down from 137.5p to 105p, which meant that the firm lost a quarter of its market cap in a single day.

Bumpy times indeed 鈥

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