Construction output drops 0.5% in Q2

Construction output fell 0.5% in the second quarter, according to the latest official figures - but the news could get worse.

Private Housing dropped 7% on the first quarter, and is down 17% on the same quarter a year ago. Private Commercial also dropped, by 3%.

The figures also reported a rise in Private Housing RMI, which was considered highly questionable Brickonomics blogger Brian Green.

"I suspect we may well see revisions downward, which means the industry is in worse shape than it looks on the basis of these latest stats," he said.