2021.05.0709:45:00UTC+00UK Construction Sector Logs Strong Growth In April

The UK construction sector logged a robust growth in April with continued recoveries seen in civil engineering activity, commercial work and house building, survey results from IHS Markit showed on Friday.

The Chartered Institute of Procurement & Supply construction Purchasing Managers' Index came in at 61.6 in April, down only fractionally from March's six-and-a-half year peak of 61.7.

Commercial work was the best-performing broad category of construction output in April and civil engineering showed its fastest speed of recovery since September 2014. House building continued to rise but the rate of growth eased from March's recent peak.

Total new work increased for the eleventh consecutive month in April. This contributed to the steepest rate of job creation across the construction sector since December 2015.

Cost inflation rose at the fastest pace since the survey began in April 1997. Looking ahead, construction companies remained highly upbeat about their growth prospects in April.