Contractors in the black while others suffer

摘要

The construction industry's major publicly listed contractors are cash-rich while most of the industry's other listed sectors are grappling with debt.rnFigures from broker Finncap show listed contractors had an estimated £1.58 billion in cash on their collective balance sheet at the end of 2008. That figure is forecast to rise this year to £1.68 billion.rnFinncap's quarterly Databuild update shows building support services is the only other sector in the black.rnThe Databuild report tracks information on major stock market listed construction firms, house builders and building materials firms.rnThe information taken from the firms' latest accounts reveals listed support services firms had £145.1 million between them on their balance sheets in 2008. But they are ex-rnpected to see that figure drop to around £77.8 million this year.