Construction buyers see another month of growth

House building led the way as the bellwether IHS Markit/CIPS UK Construction Total Activity Index posted 54.6 in December compared to 54.7 in November.

Anything above 50 represents growth and the index rose beyond that crucial level for the seventh month in a row.

House building saw a sharp rise to hit 61.9 while commercial activity also expanded at 51.2 but the rate of growth eased to its lowest since the recovery began last June.

Civil engineering was the weakest-performing category at 48 with activity falling for the fourth time in the past five months.

New orders grew strongly in December with firms highlighting improving client demand alongside a boost from new business wins on construction projects that had been deferred at the start of the pandemic.

Exactly half of the survey panel forecast a rise in business activity over the course of 2021, while only 10% anticipate a decline, which signalled the strongest optimism across the construction sector since April 2017.

updated: 07/01/2021