New orders suffered a slow start in January

The total value of new construction orders slipped 8.5% in January to £2.9bn. In the three months to January the total was £8bn, 9% lower than the same period a year ago.

Both housing markets improved in the three-month measure, public benefiting the most with a 28% boost to £358m, while private increased 11% to £2.5bn. Private industrial improved 25% to £607m.

However, these boosts could not cover slumps in the other three markets: private commercial dropped 11.5% to £2.3bn; infrastructure fell 18% to £829m; and other public slumped 37% to £1.3bn.

On the rolling 12-month scale, total orders slipped 1% from £33.9bn to £33.6bn. Infrastructure was down 14%, while private commercial fell 13%. The other four sectors improved, but not quite enough to compensate.

New construction orders November 2003  - January 2004 (November 2002 - January 2003)

• Public housing £358m (£279m)
• Private housing £2,582m (£2,325m)
• Infrastructure £829m (£1,009m)
• Other public £1,347m (£2,149m)
• Private industrial £607m (£486m)
• Private commercial £2,343m (£2,650m)

New construction orders 12 months to January 2004 (12 months to January 2003)

• Public housing £1,372m (£1,141m)
• Private housing £9,607m (£8,378m)
• Infrastructure £4,735m (£5,517m)
• Other public £6,187m (£6,015m)
• Private industrial £2,378m (£2,272m)
• Private commercial £9,408m (£10,764m)