Housebuilder's trading statement talks of "challenging" markets in North America

Housebuilder Taylor Woodrow has reported that its North American orders are 22% down on last year. It said it had been hit by reduced levels of reservations and an increased number of cancellations compared with the same period last year.

In a trading statement it said that, with the exception of Canada, Texas and parts of Florida, the North American markets remained 鈥渃hallenging and difficult to predict鈥�.

However, it said that it anticipated full year results for the overall group to be in line with expectations.

In the UK it said its landbank had strengthened and it predicted good opportunities for growth in 2007-2008.