the Pulse

As we approach the winter months, merchants’ expectations and confidence are cooling. However, the overall outlook remains positive with merchants particularly confident... Learn More

There was a cooling of merchants’ expectations and confidence in September. While the market is still buoyant, with a V-shaped recovery, merchants... Learn More

August’s survey showed a market still recovering from lockdown and still confident of further recovery. Sales expectations and confidence vary by merchant... Learn More

July’s survey shows the industry returning to a pre-Covid world. Many branches are fully open and most of the rest are planning... Learn More

With lockdown continuing to ease in June, more builders’ merchants’ branches have reopened fully. While some branches continue to operate with restrictions,... Learn More

With tight restrictions in place during lockdown in April, much of construction was halted apart from essential projects. Many merchants closed their... Learn More

  The government’s announcement on 23rd March to close all non-essential businesses to contain the Coronavirus put Britain into lockdown overnight. The... Learn More

  Merchants cautiously positive amid Covid-19 threat Between the time of interviewing (beginning of March) and the time of writing (end of... Learn More

  Merchants’ sales expectations and confidence point up December’s Pulse was completed one week before the General Election. While Brexit and political... Learn More

  The Pulse, MRA Research’s temperature-check on builders’ merchants’ confidence and prospects, is now in its seventh month. Starting in May 2019,... Learn More