CE Barometer April 2013: Sliding back down

April saw a decline in construction activity compared to the previous month, but respondents to the CE Barometer survey remained optimistic about the future.

A negative balance of -6.3% of respondents said they were less busy in April than March, contrasting with the previous month’s +13.7% figure. The balance figure is the percentage of positive responses, minus the number of negative ones.

Although it is a little early to judge, this makes March’s result look like the symptom of a brief recovery from the winter lull, rather than the start of a sustained recovery in European construction.

However respondents to the CE Barometer survey remained up-beat about the future. A positive balance of +8.4% of those questioned said they thought activity would be higher in a year’s time, than in the current month. Although still in positive territory, this response was less convincing than the balance figures of +20% or more seen in the first quarter of the year.

Falling month on month activity and other negative factors meant the CE Climate – an overall measure of confidence based on all question results – slipped back into the red at -9.1%, compared to March’s positive result of +6.7%.

Take part

The survey, which takes just a one minute to complete, is open to all construction professionals working in Europe. The CE Barometer survey is open from the 1st to the 15^th of each month on our website. Full information can be found at www.cebarometer.eu