September orders drop, but trend remains good
10:36 04 Nov 2004
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New construction orders in September slipped 5% compared with last year, but in the 12 months to September most sectors are comfortably ahead of last year, according to the latest data from the Department of Trade & Industry.
Total orders for September were just shy of £2.9bn (compared with £3bn in the same month last year). Only two sectors improved: public housing and private houisng by 53% and 44% respectively. Infrastructure slipped 5%, private industrial fell by 9% and private commercial dropped 16%. Other public orders slumped by 47%.
The picture looks better for the third quarter: both housing sectors and private industrial and commercial all improved compared with Q3 2003. Total orders were up 10% to £9.6bn.
In the year to date, the same picture is repeated: infrastructure and other public were down by 22% and 6% respectively, but more than compensated for by strong increases in public and private housing orders and growth in private industrial and commercial orders. Total orders were up 8% to £37.3bn.
New orders September 2004 (September 2003 in brackets)
- Public housing £150m (£98m)
- Private housing £1,022m (£711m)
- Infrastructure £272m (£287m)
- Other public £344m (£648m)
- Private industrial £202m (£223m)
- Private commercial £856m (£1,024m)
- Total £2,847m (£2,990m)
New orders Q3 2004 (Q3 2003)
- Public housing £349m (£274m)
- Private housing £3,142m (£2,288m)
- Infrastructure £936m (£1,042m)
- Other public £1,510m (£1,723m)
- Private industrial £670m (£652m)
- Private commercial £3,034m (£2,822m)
- Total £9,642m (£8,803m)
New orders 12 months to September 2004 (12 months to September 2003 in brackets)
- Public housing £1,631m (£1,273m)
- Private housing £11,576m (£9,206m)
- Infrastructure £3,845m (£4,899m)
- Other public £6,451m (£6,863m)
- Private industrial £2,421m (£2,346m)
- Private commercial £11,451m (£9,960m)
- Total £37,375m (£34,550m)