June new orders grow 27% to £3.2bn

New construction orders in June increased 27% to £3.2bn, helping orders for the second quarter to improve by 19% to £9.7bn, according to the latest data from Department of Trade & Industry.

The monthly totals showed that all six sectors posted year-on-year improvements. The infrastructure, private industrial and private commercial sectors all posted their second highest monthly totals of the year.

However, in the infrastructure sector is still stuck in its downward spiral in the medium- and long-term: in the second quarter the sector was dowbn 14%, while in the year to date it is 25% behind.

Publc housing continued to enjoy strong growth, increasing 40% in Q2 and 23% in the year to date. Private housing grew 24% in Q2 and 17% in the year to date.

Private commercial surged 31% in Q2, helping the sector to a 10% hike in the year to date.

In the year to date, total new orders grew 5% to £36.5bn.

New construction orders Q2 2004 (Q2 2003)

• Public housing £436m (£312m)
• Private housing £2,889m (£2,321m)
• Infrastructure £1,203m (£1,402m)
• Other public £1,776m (£1,438m)
• Private industrial £608m (£535m)
• Private commercial £2,819m (£2,158m)
• Total £9,731m (£8,166m)

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

• Public housing £1,547m (£1,256m)
• Private housing £10,718m (£9,139m)
• Infrastructure £3,990m (£5,348m)
• Other public £6,605m (£6,528m)
• Private industrial £2,423m (£2,286m)
• Private commercial £11,232m (£10,183m)
• Total £36,516m (£34,740m)