Category Archives: Construction PMI

19/9/15: Irish Construction PMIs: August 2015


Irish Construction Sector PMIs for August showed moderate de-acceleration in sector growth.

Per Markit:


On a 3mo average basis:
  • Overall Construction Sector PMI stood at 60.4 in 3mo through August 2015, up on 57.8 for the 3mo average through May 2015, but down on same period a year ago (61.3).
  • Housing Activity sub-index posted deterioration m/m. However, on a 3mo basis the index through August 2015 (58.7) was up on the 3mo average through May 2015 (56.5), but down on 3mo average through August 2014 (63.5).
  • Commercial Activity sub-index posted deterioration m/m. On a 3mo basis the index through August 2015 (61.3) was up on the 3mo average through May 2015 (59.4), but down on 3mo average through August 2014 (62.4).
  • Civil Engineering activity sub-index posted deterioration m/m and a reading sub-50.0 for the second consecutive month. On a 3mo average basis, 3mo average through August 2015 was at 50.1, identical to the 3mo average through May 2015 and up on 47.6 average through August 2014.

Thus, all sub-indices have deteriorated on a m/m basis, and all, with exception of Civil Engineering, posted deterioration y/y on 3mo average basis.


As shown in the chart below, two key sub-indices of construction sector activity remain above 50 mark, but a sharp deterioration in overall growth momentum for the second month in a row. Both sub-series are signalling potential reversal in the positive momentum trend from September-November 2014 on.

In Civil Engineering, a brief recovery momentum signalled in Q4 2014 has now been erased:



10/9/15: Building & Construction: 2Q 2015


Production indices for Building & Construction sector in Ireland, covering 2Q 2015, were out yesterday. Here is the run through the numbers:

All building & construction sector activity by volume rose to 106.2 in 2Q 2015, up 5.46% q/q and 7.16% y/y (I am using seasonally-adjusted basis numbers here).

Much of this increase was down to a 8.78% rise in Building ex-Civil Engineering, which was itself primarily driven by a 14.6% q/q uplift in Residential Building.

Two charts, showing links to Construction sector PMIs:



Charts above illustrate continued decoupling in trends between PMIs-signalled growth and actual activity in the sector. While PMIs have signal strong expansion, the rate of growth in actual activity has been much more modest. As the result, negative correlation between PMIs and CSO index has moderated, but it remains negative on a historical basis.