Informations rapides
25 February 2014
2014- n° 44
The economic climate stays unfavorable in the building industry in February 2014 Monthly survey of building - February 2014

According to the business managers surveyed in February 2014, the situation stays unfavorable in the building industry: the composite indicator is stable and stays below its long-term average. The turning-point indicator has gone into the unfavorable zone.

Informations rapides
No 44
Paru le :Paru le25/02/2014
Prochaine parution le : 20/09/2024 at 08:45 - September 2024

According to the business managers surveyed in February 2014, the situation stays unfavorable in the building industry: the composite indicator is stable and stays below its long-term average. The turning-point indicator has gone into the unfavorable zone.

ClimateComposite indicator

TurningPointTurning-point indicator

  • Lecture: close to 1 (respectively -1), it indicates a favorable climate (respectively unfavorable).

Tableau1Building industry economic outlook

Balances of opinion, in %, SA
Building industry economic outlook (Balances of opinion, in %, SA)
Mean* Nov. 13 Dec. 13 Jan. 14 Feb. 14
Composite indicator 100 94 94 93 93
Past activity –3 –9 –17 –18 –15
Expected activity –5 –14 –18 –15 –21
Gen. business outlook –18 –33
Past employment –3 –17 –15 –19 –19
Expected employment –3 –17 –17 –19 –23
Opinion on order books –20 –48 –49 –46 –44
Order books (in month) 5.3 6.8 6.2 6.7 6.7
Productive capacity utilisation rate 88.9 85.7 86.7 86.2 85.7
Obstacles to production increase (in %) 33 23 26 26 25
- Because of workforce shortage (in %) 15.5 3.9 2.9 4.1 3.7
Recruiting problems (in %) 59 46
Expected prices –13 –28 –30 –30 –31
Cash-flow position –9 –13
Repayment period 28 39
  • * Mean since September 1993.
  • Source: French business survey in the building industry - Insee

Activity remains deteriorated

Business managers consider that their activity is still deteriorated in the recent period. More business managers than in January forecast a fall of their activity. The balances of opinion corresponding stay significantly below their long-term average.

ActivityActivity tendency in the building industry

Decreasing employment

Employment in the building industry is grim: more business managers than in January indicate job losses for the next few months. The balances of opinion corresponding to past employment and expected employment stay significantly below their long-term average.

WorkforceWorkforce size tendency in the building industry

Order books are still considered lower than normal

In February, business managers still consider their order books lower than normal.

OrderBooksOrder books

Productive capacity underused again

The productive capacity utilization rate has stabilized and stays below its long-term average. At the same time, one business manager out of four declares having difficulties increasing his activity.

PcurProductive capacity utilization rate

Prices not very dynamic

In February, as business managers as in January indicate price downturns. The corresponding balance of opinion remains sharply inferior to its long-term average.

Pour en savoir plus

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