2021.09.0609:46:00UTC+00UK Construction Sector Expands At Slower Pace In August

The UK construction sector growth slowed in August as restricted supply of materials and transport began to weigh on overall activity, survey results from IHS Markit showed on Monday.

The Chartered Institute of Procurement & Supply construction Purchasing Managers' Index fell to 55.2 in August from 58.7 in July. The reading was also below economists' forecast of 56.9.

There were softer expansions across housebuilding, commercial work and civil engineering activity. Commercial work was the best performing broad category of construction output. Meanwhile, civil engineering remained the slowest growing sub-sector.

Total new work increased for the fifteenth consecutive month in August. But the pace of growth softened to the weakest since March.

Amid softer growth in new orders, the rate of job creation eased to a four-month low in the latest survey period.

On the price front, the survey showed that input cost inflation accelerated to the second fastest rate in the 24-year history of the survey.

Looking ahead, construction companies remained highly upbeat about their growth prospects over the coming 12 months.