The ONS has released its Output in the Construction Industry figures for December and Q4 2012. These figures show that the estimated total volume of construction output increased by 0.9% in Q4 of 2012 compared to Q3 of 2012. This week the CPA also released its Construction Trade Survey for February. Figures in the survey show that on balance 23% of building contractors reported a fall in output in the private commercial sector during the last quarter of 2012.
In contrast, and on a more positive note, Construction News has reported that contractors are more confident about the outlook for their business activity over the next 12 months as commercial activity begins to look up. A bit of brighter news is that the NSCC released its latest state of trade survey which shows that the outlook for specialist contractors in 2013 is becoming more positive as 36% reported an increase in orders in the last quarter of 2012.
The Nationwide House Price Index reported that house prices in January have risen by 0.5%, and is unchanged compared to January 2012. This now brings the typical price of a house to £162,245. The Halifax House Price Index reported that in the last 3 months to January house prices have increased by 1.9% compared to the previous 3 months. However they have also reported that house prices fell by 0.2% in January, following successive rises in November and December. FENSA have released their their window and door installation figures for 2012. The figures are encouraging as they show that in the last 3 months of 2012 there was growth of 1.05% in the number of replacement window and door installations, compared to the same period in 2011.
Following the government’s announcement to appoint Mark Carney as the new Governor of The Bank of England in June, he has appeared before the Treasury Select Committee. He told MPs ‘he will consider expanding the tools available to the central bank in its efforts to spur lending to households and small businesses’.
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Chris Ashworth is a leading international authority on specification selling and will be delivering a 1-hour webinar 'Specification Selling Explained' on Tuesday 26th February. Be sure to subscribe before it's too late! Chris Ashworth, founder of Competitive Advantage Consultancy, provides strategic marketing, research and training services to the construction industry. He sits on the government’s Green Construction Board Promotional Working Group and is a member of the organising committee for the Chartered Institute of Marketing Construction Industry Group (CIMCIG). |