EU production in construction down 1.5% in May

According to first estimates from Eurostat, seasonally adjusted production in the construction sector fell by 1.5% in the euro area (EA18) and by 1.6% in the EU28 in May 2014, compared with April 2014. In April 2014, production in construction rose by 0.4% and 0.3%, respectively. In May 2014, compared with May 2013, production in construction increased by 3.5% in the euro area and by 3.2% in the EU28.

The 1.5% decrease in production in construction in the euro area in May (compared to April) can be attributed to civil engineering falling by 3% and building construction by 1.1%. In the EU28, the decrease of 1.6% is due to civil engineering falling by 2.4% and building construction by 1.2%. The largest decreases were observed in Germany (-4.9%), Poland (-3.9%), Slovenia (-3.7%) and the Czech Republic (-3.6%), while increases were registered in Hungary (+2.3%), Bulgaria (+1.7%), Slovakia (+1.6%) and Spain (+1%).

The increase of 3.5% in production in construction in the euro area in May, compared with May 2013, is due to building construction rising by 5.3% while civil engineering fell by 2.6%. In the EU28, the increase of 3.2% is due to building construction rising by 5%, while civil engineering dropped by 2.5%. The highest increases in production in construction were registered in Spain (+42.4%), Slovenia (+41.8%), Hungary (+28.7%) and Poland (+6.8%), and the largest decreases in Romania (-10.3%), Portugal (-10.2%), the Netherlands (-4%) and Germany (-2.5%).

Adapted from press release by Rosalie Starling

Read the article online at: https://www.worldcement.com/europe-cis/18072014/eu-production-in-construction-down-1-5-in-may-119/