(IHS Markit) Construction activity in the Eurozone maintained an expansion, although the activity index slipped to 52.9 in December from 53.3 in the previous month.
Expansions were posted in commercial activity and house building amid marginal falls in civil engineering.
Italian companies had a marked upturn in construction activities, while France posted softer growth. Germany recorded sustained declines.
New orders rose at the quickest since February 2019, with new projects coming up due to incentives by the government.
Vendor performance worsened to the lowest since August, with the average lead times, increasing in the Eurozone’s three of the largest members.
Job creation continued to rise, despite easing to a four-month low. The staffing levels were modest.
Input inflation eased for the second straight month but remained one of the highest in the series history.
Business optimism among construction firms hit an eight-month low, despite the outlook remaining positive for the twelfth month in a row.
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