Latest data released by Markit - 7 January 2020
- Prior 52.5
The reading moves up to the highest level since March last year with overall construction activity and new orders seeing a decent recovery. That said, homebuilding is once again the key driver of optimism in the sector but at least there are other signs of improvement.
Markit notes that:
"After a dip in the summer, the construction sector got back on track in the final quarter of 2019 and ended the year on a high note, with activity, new orders and employment all rising at the fastest rate since March last year.
However, as was the case during most of the second half of 2019, growth of activity in December was confined to just homebuilding. Commercial activity stabilised in December on the back of its worst run for more than six years, leaving civil engineering as the main drag on the construction sector. Outside of homebuilding, constructors remain concerned about the outlook for activity, citing the influence of the wider economic slowdown and a lack of tenders for local infrastructure projects."
