Informations Rapides ·
27 April 2021 · n° 109
In April 2021, the opinion of the business managers in civil engineering on their
activity prospects has improved Quaterly survey of public works - April 2021
In April 2021, the business managers in civil engineering are more optimistic about their expected activity for the next three months than they were in January.
The raw series were initially published on 27 April 2021 in place of the seasonally adjusted series. This inversion has been corrected in this publication.
In April 2021, the business managers in civil engineering are more optimistic about their expected activity for the next three months than they were in January.
Business managers are more optimistic than in January about their upcoming activity
In April 2021, more business managers than in January have indicated an increase in their expected activity over the next three months. The balance of opinion has risen again sharply and has returned above its long-term average. However, it remains below its average for public customers.
Considering the past three months, the opinion of business managers on their recent activity is unchanged overall: the balance of opinion on past activity is stable, after having fallen slightly in January. It stands slightly below its long-term average. However, this balance has bounced back for public customers, albeit remaining below its average, while it is stable for private customers, above its own average.
Order books are considered better filled
In April 2021, the business managers have considered that their order books are fuller than in January: the corresponding balance of opinion has increased significantly and has gone slightly above its long-term average.
Production bottlenecks for lack of manpower are tightening
In April 2021, the production bottlenecks due to insufficient staff are greater than in January. Slightly more than one in four companies has reported to be hampered by a lack of manpower. This proportion, higher than its long-term average, remains however lower than its January 2020 level (40%).
Employment prospects have improved again
In April 2021, more business managers than in January have planned to increase their workforce size in the next three months. The corresponding balance has grown again and stands well above its long-term average. However, it remains below its level before the onset of the health crisis.
tableauPublic works economic outlook
| Mean.* | July 20 | Oct. 20 | Jan. 21 | Apr. 21 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Past activity | -5 | -86 | -4 | -7 | -7 |
| - public-sector project | -11 | -88 | -17 | -22 | -17 |
| - private-sector project | -9 | -84 | -1 | -5 | -5 |
| Expected activity | -12 | 14 | -25 | -19 | -10 |
| - public-sector project | -16 | 4 | -33 | -31 | -23 |
| - private-sector project | -15 | 9 | -24 | -17 | -8 |
| Opinion on order books | -24 | -37 | -36 | -33 | -22 |
| Obstacles to production increase because of workforce shortage (in %) | 16 | 13 | 20 | 20 | 27 |
| Expected workforce | -13 | -9 | -9 | -5 | 6 |
- Note: the balances of opinion by costumer may differ from the balance of the whole, because sometimes the firms don't distinguish public-sector project and private-sector project.
- * Mean since January 1981
- NA: not available
- Source: French business survey, building crafts sector – INSEE and FNTP
tableauActivity tendency in civil engineering
| Past activity | Expected activity | |
|---|---|---|
| 2007-Q1 | 39.0 | 16.9 |
| 2007-Q2 | 39.7 | 21.5 |
| 2007-Q3 | 36.2 | 13.9 |
| 2007-Q4 | 22.8 | 14.6 |
| 2008-Q1 | 20.1 | 2.7 |
| 2008-Q2 | 16.3 | -16.0 |
| 2008-Q3 | -10.8 | -26.0 |
| 2008-Q4 | -30.5 | -47.6 |
| 2009-Q1 | -55.3 | -50.6 |
| 2009-Q2 | -48.8 | -52.0 |
| 2009-Q3 | -50.5 | -34.0 |
| 2009-Q4 | -33.3 | -16.1 |
| 2010-Q1 | -23.1 | -16.7 |
| 2010-Q2 | -33.7 | -20.5 |
| 2010-Q3 | -15.9 | -23.9 |
| 2010-Q4 | -7.9 | -17.9 |
| 2011-Q1 | -32.5 | 0.0 |
| 2011-Q2 | 36.8 | 2.3 |
| 2011-Q3 | 26.5 | 0.1 |
| 2011-Q4 | 8.6 | -4.3 |
| 2012-Q1 | 7.0 | -12.4 |
| 2012-Q2 | -12.9 | -6.8 |
| 2012-Q3 | -22.6 | -7.6 |
| 2012-Q4 | -9.8 | -26.5 |
| 2013-Q1 | -11.3 | -13.3 |
| 2013-Q2 | -18.4 | -13.5 |
| 2013-Q3 | -7.4 | -11.9 |
| 2013-Q4 | 3.3 | -15.6 |
| 2014-Q1 | -4.2 | -25.6 |
| 2014-Q2 | 4.2 | -30.4 |
| 2014-Q3 | -45.6 | -48.4 |
| 2014-Q4 | -60.3 | -54.5 |
| 2015-Q1 | -59.9 | -42.3 |
| 2015-Q2 | -50.2 | -43.5 |
| 2015-Q3 | -41.0 | -31.7 |
| 2015-Q4 | -37.5 | -15.0 |
| 2016-Q1 | -18.5 | -15.6 |
| 2016-Q2 | -16.8 | -15.4 |
| 2016-Q3 | -5.6 | -1.0 |
| 2016-Q4 | 9.4 | -5.5 |
| 2017-Q1 | 11.6 | 3.3 |
| 2017-Q2 | 28.8 | 19.5 |
| 2017-Q3 | 37.4 | 27.5 |
| 2017-Q4 | 29.3 | 32.5 |
| 2018-Q1 | 37.1 | 22.7 |
| 2018-Q2 | 29.4 | 32.3 |
| 2018-Q3 | 31.5 | 26.3 |
| 2018-Q4 | 38.4 | 28.6 |
| 2019-Q1 | 34.1 | 26.0 |
| 2019-Q2 | 39.1 | 22.0 |
| 2019-Q3 | 32.5 | 16.3 |
| 2019-Q4 | 23.0 | 13.8 |
| 2020-Q1 | 20.6 | -4.0 |
| 2020-Q2 | NaN | NaN |
| 2020-Q3 | -86.5 | 14.3 |
| 2020-Q4 | -4.0 | -25.2 |
| 2021-Q1 | -7.4 | -19.0 |
| 2021-Q2 | -7.2 | -10.2 |
- Data for the second quarter of 2020 are not available, the response rate to this survey was greatly affected in April in the context of the health crisis.
graphiqueActivity tendency in civil engineering
- Data for the second quarter of 2020 are not available, the response rate to this survey was greatly affected in April in the context of the health crisis.
- Sources: FNTP and INSEE.
For further information
A balance of opinion is calculated as the difference between the percentage of “increase” responses and the percentage of “decrease” responses.
Additional information (simplified and detailed methodology, nomenclature, etc.) is available on the “Documentation” tab of this page.
Next issue: 27 July 2021 at 12:00 am
Documentation
Abbreviated methodology (pdf,123 Ko)
Pour en savoir plus
A balance of opinion is calculated as the difference between the percentage of “increase” responses and the percentage of “decrease” responses.
Additional information (simplified and detailed methodology, nomenclature, etc.) is available on the “Documentation” tab of this page.
Next issue: 27 July 2021 at 12:00 am