Eurostat has released seasonally adjusted production in construction figures for the first month of 2014. In January, the production in construction sector was an estimated 1.5% higher than in December 2013 in the euro area and 1.3% higher m/m in the EU28. Compared to December 2013, building construction improved in both the euro area (+1.7%) and the EU28 (+1.6%). However, civil engineering fell by 1.2% in the euro area and by 1.8% in the EU28. Production in construction increased by 22.4% m/m in Slovenia, 5.8% m/m in Spain and by 4/4% m/m in Germany. At the other end of the spectrum, Romania, Slovakia and France experienced m/m declines of 4.3%, 3.9% and 2.2%, respectively.
On a year-on-year basis, production in construction was up 8.8% in the euro area and 7.3% in the EU28. The rise was aided by growth in building construction and civil engineering, which increased by 9.1% y/y and 7.6% y/y, respectively, in the euro area, and by 8.1% y/y and 3.8% y/y, respectively, in the EU28. Slovenia, Hungary, Spain and Germany registered the biggest increases in production in construction, while Portugal, Romania and Italy experienced the greatest decline.
Adapted from press release by Louise Fordham