CEMBUREAU Quarterly Economic Report for 4Q15

The CEMBUREAU Quarterly Economic Report for 4Q15 has now been published. It indicates that no EU countries experienced recession in 2015, but reveals that economic growth did not gain momentum in 4Q15 on a quarterly basis, with very modest growth rates recorded in all major EU economies. Thee are increasing fears that the macroeconomic environment will deteriorate, and also of the risks of continuing deflation despite unprecedented ECB action. Several factors of uncertainty have cast a shadow on growth prospect for 2016. Supportive external factors have yet to boost economic growth and investment as expected.

The latest leading indicators for the construction sector continued to show mixed signs and diverging developments in major euro-area economies, but as a whole the sector showed levels of activity that are still rather low even though recovery has been in place in many Member States since H2 2013.

Construction investment data continued to reflect disconnection between construction and macroeconomics cycles in 4Q15, with the latter recovering at a much faster speed, and the construction industry lagging behind in spite of economic recovery.

4Q15 cement manufacturing indices seemed to have reversed the trend seen over past quarters and have recorded sharp increases in all of the countries observed, even though levels remain low in historical terms.

Adapted from press release by Rebecca Bowden Source: CEMBUREAU

Read the article online at: https://www.worldcement.com/europe-cis/10032016/cembureau-quarterly-economic-report-for-4q15-665/