United Kingdom construction PMI rose less than expected in March

According to the report from IHS Markit, the recent soft patch for UK construction output continued during March. Another fall in commercial work and civil engineering activity more than offset a modest upturn in residential building. New business and employment numbers increased only slightly at the end of the first quarter, reflecting subdued underlying demand and delays to decision-making among clients.

Adjusted for seasonal influences, the headline seasonally adjusted IHS Markit/CIPS UK Construction Total Activity Index posted 49.7, up fractionally from 49.5 in February but still below the 50.0 no-change threshold. Economists had expected increase to 49.8. The sustained decline in total construction activity represented the first back-to-back fall in output levels since August 2016, although the rate of decline remained only marginal in March.

Meanwhile, business optimism edged up from the four-month low seen during February. However, the degree of positivity remained much weaker than the long-term survey average. A number of construction companies noted that economic and political uncertainty had weighed on business expectations for the next 12 months.