Buyers report construction “mired in a downturn”

Grant Prior 5 years ago
Share

Construction buyers reported industry activity falling at its second-fastest rate for ten years in September.

The latest bellwether IHS Markit/CIPS UK Construction Total Activity Index posted 43.3 in September – down from 45.0 recorded in August where anything below 50 represents contraction.

The drop was the second-strongest since April 2009 and broad-based across all three categories of construction work.

Commercial activity was the worst-performing segment while civil engineering activity dropped at its sharpest rate for close to a decade while residential building recorded a fourth successive monthly fall.

Looking ahead, UK construction firms were mildly optimistic that output volumes would pick up over the coming 12 months although the level of business confidence was weak by historical standards.

Joe Hayes, Economist at IHS Markit, said: “The UK construction sector remained mired in a downturn at the end of the third quarter, according to the latest PMI data.

“Activity is being pulled down at its second-fastest clip for over a decade as firms are buffeted by client hesitancy, heightened Brexit uncertainty and a weak outlook for the UK economy.

“The commercial sector was a notable casualty in September, with building activity here falling at the fastest rate since April 2009, highlighting the damaging effects of project delays and belt-tightening.

“Low confidence has subsequently caused construction order books to fall substantially.”

Duncan Brock, Group Director at the Chartered Institute of Procurement & Supply said :”The construction sector offered another devastating result in September with the second fastest fall in new orders since March 2009 and the financial crisis.

“After a relentless six-month decline in order books driven by Brexit uncertainty and political indecision, this is hardly surprising.

“Residential building continued to be hit hard with a fourth successive month of deterioration but the commercial sector took the biggest brunt of this downturn spiral as clients turned their back on spending and committing to larger projects.

“This in turn had significant knock-on effects on construction employment with the biggest fall in staffing levels since December 2010.

“Such disappointing news as the sector is still recovering from a lack of skills and capacity created by the last recession.

“Looking ahead the signs do not look positive.

“Even a moderation in input prices since March 2019 and some moderate improvement in supply chain pressures will not be enough to keep the wolf from the door as no-deal looms and businesses remain Brexit unsteady.”

Latest news

Morgan Sindall to build former Willmott Dixon leisure job

New contractor appointed on
11 hours ago

Graham consortium wins £400m Manchester job

Equitix consortium to now work up DBFO plans for University of Manchester’s Fallowfield Campus
7 hours ago

Keltbray looking to sell infrastructure business

£378m turnover rail, energy and highways business up for sale
18 hours ago

Innovative viaduct building method used for first time in UK

HS2 contractors will build nine viaducts in Delta Junction using special cantilevered process
18 hours ago

Unite buys London site to fast-track 444-bed student scheme

£800m to be spent on London development pipeline in next five years
18 hours ago

CITB awards £2.5m of contracts to management consultant

Three outsourced deals in the last year for "project leadership and management consultancy"
18 hours ago

Village centre approved for 6,000-home new town plan

Hampshire's Welborne Garden Village plan has been in the pipeline for two decades.
17 hours ago

£3m fine after cherry picker demolition death

Court rules after tragedy during decommissioning of gas rig
18 hours ago

BAM plans wave of job cuts at UK Construction arm

Co-op Live arena plunges Bam Construction to £19.5m first-half loss
2 days ago

Robot tunnel builder goes into administration

Hypertunnel was hoping to revolutionise how underground structures are built
2 days ago

Wates to build £86m Guildford Council housing scheme

40% of the 248 homes will become council homes under partnership deal
2 days ago

“Scrap CITB” say three quarters of construction firms

Payroll giant Hudson Contract calls for CITB to be absorbed into new Skills England training body
2 days ago

£100m Prestwich Village revival approved

Vinci and Willmott Dixon in chase for Muse-led regeneration scheme
2 days ago

Carbon negative asphalt aggregate trialled on M11

Skanska and Tarmac test CO2 absorbing aggregate material on stretch of Essex motorway
2 days ago

Father and son sentenced over covid construction loan fraud

Bristol builders given suspended jail sentences over bogus Bounce Back Loans
2 days ago

Beck Interiors files administration notice

Supply chain has suffered delayed payments from £139m-turnover luxury fit out specialist
3 days ago

Green light for York Central civil service office hub

£60m office project accelerates York Central goods yard redevelopment
3 days ago

Blenheim House Construction enters administration

Administrators looking at options on present projects
3 days ago

Profits rise at Esh Group with more to come

Contractor confident about year ahead as market conditions move in right direction
3 days ago

Piling specialist Van Elle sees housing orders rise 30%

Mark Cutler says firm on course to deliver 10% annual sales growth
3 days ago

HS2 to spend £100m shutting sites where work never started

Remediation of sites no longer needed for cancelled Phase 2 will take three years
3 days ago

Willmott Dixon wins £61m deal for new Army dog unit

Contractor to revamp Kendrew Barracks in Rutland
3 days ago

Stockport advances 4,000-home Town Centre East plan

Council seeks consultants to steer plan for 280-acre area in the city
3 days ago

ISG sale imminent as buyers set-up UK holding company

South African nutrition entrepreneur and Australian partner primed to take over
4 days ago

CR Construction wins £210m Manchester towers

Construction to start next year on four blocks ranging from nine to 34-storeys
4 days ago

Southern Housing to rationalise supply chain following merger

Firms put on alert for £1.7bn construction framework renewal
4 days ago

Decision delayed on 52-storey Isle of Dogs tower

Hong Kong developer plans 460 flats block next to Millwall Inner Dock
4 days ago

Go-ahead for £850m North London estate rebuild

Flagship Edmonton housing estate redevelopment will deliver 2,000 new homes
4 days ago

Mace lands £184m Oxford Science Park contract

Contractor to build trio of laboratory and office buildings
5 days ago

Worker paralysed in 30ft fall during electricity pylon demolition

Specialist firm fined £240,000 after court hears linesman attached lanyard to a loosened steel section
4 days ago

Contractor services