CRH profit dips on Covid-19 disruption, sees Q3 back in line

CRH embarked on its first share buyback programme in a decade in 2018 and had indicated before the pandemic that the scheme was likely to continue this year.

Irish building supplier CRH expects a return to more normal levels of construction to boost third-quarter earnings close to last year's, after citing Covid-19 disruption for a 2% drop in first-half earnings.

The world's second-biggest building materials supplier's €1.34bn core earnings in its seasonally less significant first half declined from a record €1.36bn in 2019 following €55 million of one-off costs primarily related to Covid-19-related restructuring.