01 / State of play

The total activity index dropped 10 points to take it below the no-growth bound to 43, the lowest since July 2016. The R&M activity index similarly lost eight points to 45.

All sectoral activity indices pointed at contraction in activity over March. Non-residential moved further into negative territory, losing three points to 44. Residential also fell to 44, following a 12-point loss. The drop in civil engineering was the most significant, but its index nonetheless stood the highest among the three, at 46.

Orders remained in positive territory, at 53, despite losing four points. The tenders index continued to signal contraction, as it ticked down by a point to 47.

All sectors’ orders indices remained on the expansionary side. However, only non-residential gained momentum, adding four points to reach 58. The residential orders index dropped six points to 54, while the civil engineering sector slowed the most, losing 18 points to 53.

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