The company said it will resume building from April 27. Workers will follow strict social distancing rules - except for work deemed 'essential' that requires them to stand closer together.

The closely-watched Markit/CIPS Flash UK Composite Purchasing Managers' Index fell to a new record low of 12.9 - down precipitously from an already low reading 36 in March.

The Institute for Fiscal Studies said households are saddled with £8,000 of non-mortgage debts, totalling £230 billion across the UK. And the coronavirus pandemic means incomes are falling.

Analysts are predicting it will unveil first-quarter sales of around £59 billion. But the retail giant has been accused of abandoning fraud victims by closing a crucial helpline.

Just days after British Airways warned of 12,000 job cuts, business only expect to recover slowly as workers and consumers stay home and social distancing measures are put in place.

Deloitte's survey of 104 finance chiefs found that 84 per cent were less optimistic about prospects, compared with 47 per cent three months ago - the survey's biggest drop in confidence on record.

Does it really make sense for pensioners who, directly or indirectly, rely on their income from dividends to have those incomes further cut by Bank of England diktat?

What does the terrible economic data tell us about what shape the recovery will have? And is it too late for too many companies?

By unhappy coincidence, the anniversary of the most rapturous day in British history, victory in the war against Nazi evil, comes amid a dismal historic message from the Bank of England.

Alexis Sanchez agreed to a new Arsenal contract before staging a last minute U-turn, according to the club's former transfer negotiator Dick Law.

CHRIS WHEELER IN PERTH: Pogba and his agent Mino Raiola have made no secret of his desire to leave, but Solskjaer believes he can motivate United's record signing to be a key player.

Romelu Lukaku has been bombarding former Manchester United team-mate Alexis Sanchez with messages to convince him to join Inter Milan. He told the Chilean Italy is more beautiful than Manchester.

Sanchez, like the Van Persie, swapped north London for Manchester, but has failed to follow in the Dutchman's footsteps since joining last January.

Manchester United have confirmed that Alexis Sanchez has joined Inter Milan on a season-long loan deal. The winger had fallen out of favour at Old Trafford and will hope to rediscover his best form.

Inter Milan boss Antonio Conte has claimed summer signing Alexis Sanchez is not yet ready to start for the club following his move from Manchester United. 

Sanchez, who is on-loan at Inter from Manchester United, injured the tendons in his left ankle late on during a feisty friendly against Colombia on Saturday, and he may require surgery.

Manchester United want to bring in a striker in the winter window after leaving themselves short of options up front following the exits of Alexis Sanchez and Romelu Lukaku late in the summer.

The 31-year-old, currently on loan from Manchester United, was among the title chasers' substitutes on Saturday but was not brought on despite Inter appearing at risk of dropping points.

If anyone is going to stop Juventus' recent dominance in Italian football, then it's Inter Milan. And Antonio Conte is assembling a squad filled with ex-Premier League players.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer believes there is still a chance Alexis Sanchez can resurrect his Manchester United career when he returns to the club in the summer.

Inter fan favourite Ivan Zamorano has hailed the impact of manager Antonio Conte and believes that much-maligned forward Alexis Sanchez could prove pivotal in their quest to win Serie A this season.

Sanchez is currently on loan at Inter Milan from Manchester United but has struggled to make much of an impact in Italy amid recurring injury issues. He has played just 15 matches this season.

According to ESPN , while Sanchez is also keen to cut short his United nightmare, he does not want to take a wage cut and is willing to see out the remainder of his deal without playing a game.

Both Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Ozil's contracts at the Emirates were set to expire in the summer of 2018 and as the days drew on, it appeared their time at the club was coming to an end.

TOM UTLEY: All my grown-up life, I've prided myself on being something of a non-conformist - a maverick unafraid to question and challenge the conventional wisdom and conduct of the herd.

Eddie Hearn insists he is now determined to get Anthony Joshua into the ring with Tyson Fury, admitting it is the one fight his prized asset wants to take on next.

Talk of a third and final fight with the Bronze Bomber appears to be the most likely option but a Battle of Britain unification bout with Anthony Joshua has the potential to be an absolute classic.

There had been suggestions the Brit would face Tyson Fury but Deontay Wilder activated the clause in his contract on Sunday that gives him a rematch with the Gypsy King.

Conor McGregor could make his UFC return just a week before Tyson Fury and Deontay Wilder battle for the third time in what could be one of the biggest fight weeks of all time.

The British heavyweight star reacted to Hearn's antics, after the Matchroom Boxing boss' most memorable interview lines were uploaded online for followers to apply to random scenarios.

Dillian Whyte is convinced he will knock out Anthony Joshua because he says he punches harder than Andy Ruiz Jr, who stopped AJ last June in New York. Whyte hopes to fight Joshua again next year.

Team Fury are said to be assessing options about whether the fighter can not face Wilder and instead provide the lucrative unification bout against WBA, WBO and IBF belt holder Anthony Joshua.

There will be no boxing behind closed doors in Britain before the coronavirus lockdown is lifted, along with all social distancing measures.

David Haye has revealed he would only consider a return to the ring to fight the winner of the anticipated heavyweight title fight between Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua.

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW BY RIATH AL-SAMARRAI: For once, the old salesman cannot come up with a figure. He has a think but struggles to settle on how long had passed before he went back to work.

Idle talk looks set to be transforming into something much more, after Tyson Fury's people officially made contact with Eddie Hearn regarding an all British blockbuster.

Maatje Benassi and her husband Matt described the 'nightmare' of their ordeal to CNN, saying their lives have been turned upside down since the theory began spreading on social media.

Contact tracing reduces the time taken to isolate people with COVID-19 by nearly two days, making it key to controlling the spread of coronavirus, a new study claims.

Ambassador Cheng Jingye said on Monday that Australia's push for an inquiry into the origins of the virus could result in Chinese citizens rejecting Australian products.

Zhang Jingjing, 32, died from a cardiac arrest earlier this month after working day and night to save patients during a two-month mission to Hubei, the former ground zero of the outbreak.

The pictures all made the top 50 in a contest called #Architecture2020, run by photo app Agora, which asked photographers to send in snaps of architectural wonders.

The billionaire invited Victorian China Consul-General Zhou Long -  who did not take questions but credited the 'transparent' manner with which China had dealt with the COVID-19 outbreak.

Laxman Narasimhan, chief executive of Reckitt Benckiser, the maker of Durex condoms, said sales of condoms had been hit particularly hard in UK and Italy.

Real Madrid attacker Gareth Bale has declared his interest in moving to the MLS and questions continue to be asked about his future in Spain.

Intelligence reports show China covered up the impact of COVID-19 to hoard supplies needed to battle the pandemic, which President Donald Trump says proves he wasn't late in addressing the crisis.

At least 3,506,729 people have been sickened by the virus since it emerged in China late last year, according to Johns Hopkins University figures.

Contributors on the Channel 4 show mocked Boris Johnson's description of COVID-19 as 'an unexpected mugger', with several pointing out it was 'no surprise'.

Dr Anthony Fauci, the nation's top infectious disease expert, panned the conspiracy theory that the coronavirus was accidentally leaked from the Wuhan Institute of Virology on Monday.

Mahan Air, a private company linked to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), is accused of lying about these flights after Tehran barred all flights to China on January 31.

London markets opened flat today as Asian shares continued to climb after China's central bank fixed the yuan in a bid to ease US trade-war tensions.