24 April 2014
2014- n° 96The economic climate is still unfavorable in the building industry in April 2014 Monthly survey of building - April 2014
According to the business managers surveyed in April 2014, the situation gets worse again in the building industry. The composite indicator has decreased by one point and stays below its long-term average. The turning-point indicator is in the neutral zone.
According to the business managers surveyed in April 2014, the situation gets worse again in the building industry. The composite indicator has decreased by one point and stays below its long-term average. The turning-point indicator is in the neutral zone.
graphiqueClimate – Composite indicator
graphiqueTurningPoint – Turning-point indicator
- Lecture: close to 1 (respectively -1), it indicates a favorable climate (respectively unfavorable).
tableauTableau1 – Building industry economic outlook
| Mean* | Jan. 14 | Feb. 14 | March 14 | April 14 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Composite indicator | 100 | 93 | 93 | 94 | 93 |
| Past activity | –3 | –18 | –16 | –19 | –18 |
| Expected activity | –5 | –15 | –21 | –18 | –20 |
| Gen. business outlook | –18 | –33 | –35 | ||
| Past employment | –3 | –19 | –18 | –16 | –21 |
| Expected employment | –3 | –19 | –22 | –17 | –20 |
| Opinion on order books | –21 | –46 | –44 | –40 | –41 |
| Order books (in month) | 5,3 | 6,7 | 6,7 | 6,8 | 6,9 |
| Productive capacity utilisation rate | 88,9 | 86,2 | 85,7 | 85,9 | 85,8 |
| Obstacles to production increase (in %) | 33 | 26 | 24 | 24 | 23 |
| - Because of workforce shortage (in %) | 15,4 | 4,1 | 3,6 | 3,4 | 2,9 |
| Recruiting problems (in %) | 59 | 44 | 42 | ||
| Expected prices | –13 | –30 | –30 | –30 | –33 |
| Cash-flow position | –9 | –19 | –22 | ||
| Repayment period | 28 | 41 | 40 |
- * 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. Slightly more business managers than in March forecast a fall of their activity for the next few months.
The general business outlook, which expresses the business manager’s opinions about the general trend in the sector, is worse then the last quarter and remains sharply below its long-term average.
graphiqueActivity – Activity tendency in the building industry
Decreasing employment
More business managers than in March indicate job losses. The balances of opinion corresponding to past employment and expected employment stay substantially below their long-term average.
graphiqueWorkforce – Workforce size tendency in the building industry
Order books are still considered lower than normal
In April, business managers still consider their order books lower than normal.
graphiqueOrderBooks – Order books
Productive capacity underused again
The productive capacity utilization rate has stabilized and stays below its long-term average. At the same time, almost one business manager out of four declares having difficulties increasing his activity.
42 % of building firm still have difficulties in recruiting labor force; this ratio is under its long-term average.
graphiquePcur – Productive capacity utilization rate
Prices not very dynamic
In April, more business managers than in March indicate price downturns. The corresponding balance of opinion is still well below its long-term average.
According to business leaders, the cash-flow position of the overall sector is more deteriorated than in the previous quarter and the repayment period is stable.
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