Euro area construction output rises in August

EU construction output increased in August 2013, latest data from Eurostat shows. Seasonally-adjusted production in the construction sector was 0.4 per cent higher in August than in July. Output has been steadily rising since March but remains at historically low levels. Production in August 2013 was 2.5 per cent lower than that in the same month a year earlier.

Portugal led the recovery with a 10.8 per cent hike in output from July, followed by Sweden (+4.8 per cent), Hungary (+4.0 per cent) and Italy (+3.4 per cent). The largest decreases were noted in the, Czech Republic (-3.6 per cent), Slovenia (-2.8 per cent) and Germany (-1.9 per cent) and Poland (-1.6 per cent).

Building construction fell by 0.1 per cent in the EU area after registering 1.1 per cent growth in July. Civil engineering rose by 0.9 per cent after a 0.3 per cent decline in the previous month,.