In April 2013, craftsmen are more numerous than in January to indicate a decrease of their activity in the recent period. The corresponding balance of opinion stays significantly below its long-term average. According to them, the activity would go on decreasing in the next three months.
The general business outlook, which translates the craftsmen’s opinion on the overall change of the sector, decrease slightly and the corresponding balance of opinion remains sharply below its long-term average.
According to the craftsmen, the workforce size declined last quarter: the corresponding balance of opinion stays below its long-term average. The employment contraction would continue in the next quarter.
Recruiting problems concerned almost one firm out of three. This proportion remains inferior to its long-term average. The rate of businesses training apprentices remains stable at 41 %.
Activity tendency in the building crafts sector

| Balances of opinion, in %, SA | |||||
| * Mean since October 1990. | |||||
| Mean* | July 12 | Oct. 12 | Jan. 13 | April 13 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Past activity | –4 | –19 | –28 | –21 | –29 |
| Expected activity | –7 | –26 | –39 | –25 | –33 |
| General business outlook | –19 | –47 | –57 | –51 | –54 |
| Past employment | –3 | –7 | –9 | –8 | –9 |
| Expected employment | –3 | –10 | –12 | –15 | –16 |
| Recruiting problems (in %) | 43 | 36 | 34 | 30 | 31 |
| Apprentice training (in %) | 38 | 45 | 44 | 41 | 41 |
n° 98 - April 24, 2013
Quarterly survey of the building crafts sector - April 13
Next issue End of July 2013 - July 2013
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