Suban Soraia Abdulla

Aviation experts said the last time European airports experienced disruption on such a large scale was the 2010 Icelandic volcanic ash cloud that grounded some 100,000 flights.

Britain's jobs market cooled in February as the pace of hiring slowed and starting salaries rose by the least in four years, according to a survey on Monday that underscores firms' concerns about higher employment costs and a soft economy.

Bank of England policymaker Catherine Mann said on Thursday a pick up in inflation was unlikely to lead to longer-term price problems in Britain's economy, and that global volatility had weakened the case for a gradual approach to cutting rates.

Britain's construction sector contracted sharply in February, with residential house-building declining at one the fastest rates since 2009 due to weak demand and high borrowing costs, according to a survey published on Thursday.

British services firms in February cut staff at the fastest pace since 2020 ahead of tax and minimum-wage hikes that come into effect next month, an industry survey showed on Wednesday.

British homebuyers borrowed the most in new mortgages since September 2022 in January, while approvals for new lending dropped less than expected ahead of the end of a tax break on property purchases, according to Bank of England data on Monday.

British retailers will likely push up their prices in the coming months in response to higher employment costs in April, according to a survey on Tuesday which showed a rebound in prices in February after the end of January sales.

Britain's jobs market showed further signs of cooling at the start of the year as demand for staff fell by the most since mid-2020, according to a survey that suggested the government's payroll tax hike and economic uncertainty is weighing on hiring.

British house prices rose by more than expected last month as some buyers rushed to complete sales before an increase in property purchase taxes at the start of April, mortgage lender Halifax said on Friday.

Activity among British construction firms shrank sharply in January, marking the first contraction in almost a year, according to a survey published on Thursday that also showed cost pressures escalating.