The latest indicator of construction activity from the buyers' body CIPS suggests that the pace of decline in construction may have eased a bit in April.

The key Purchasing Managers Index for construction rose in the month from 30.9 in March to 38.1. This still means things are getting worse fast, but not as fast as before.

The finer analysis suggests that the easing was down mainly to the civils sector, with a contibution from an easing in the decline of the housing and commercial sectors. But some moderation in the housing and commercial sectors was due given the level to which it has fallen in such a short space of time.

To add to the better news in the figures for April was data that indicated a further steep drop in average input costs across the UK construction economy.

So, good news of a sort, but it would be foolhardy to read this as the start of a turning point in the fortunes of the industry. We have a long way to travel yet in this recession.