Shares in Galliford Try rose to a 15-year high, bucking the downward trend in the housebuilding industry, after a positive trading statement announced its order book had topped £1 billion for the first time. The company’s construction order book hit £1.1 billion compared to £719 million at the same time last year. Its shares leapt 3p to 93p, a level not reached since 1991. The average selling price of its 484 housing units fell £228,000 to £203,000, this was in line with the company’s policy of targeting housebuyers looking for homes worth around £200,000. Greg Fitzgerald, chief executive, said: "There's no denying it is a difficult market. But we believe out business model that concentrates on individual, rather than consortium, sites and conversions gives our sales negotiators an edge. We are also small enough to be able to react quickly to the market." Redrow’s announcement that its first half profits would be below last year’s record £69.1 million saw its shares fall 20p to 515p. In a statement it said: “The influence of the product mix on the average selling price combined with our view that margins will decline in the course of this financial year will, as previously indicated, …