Cooling DIY sales in Britain knock retailer Travis Perkins

Demand for do-it-yourself products has cooled off in the UK and has hit the profits of building suppliers.

Travis Perkins has said its Toolstation business swung to a loss in the first half of the year, as demand for do-it-yourself products cooled off, sending the building materials seller's shares down 11%.

The London-listed firm said its revenue from Toolstation was 4.6% lower, while adjusted operating loss stood at £8m (€9.6m) in the six months to June 30, compared with a £10m profit last year.