In February compared with the previous month, the confidence indicator in construction decreased by 2 points to -8,5 due to less favourable evaluations of the overall level of orders. The current result is exceeding the long-term average by 15,5 points.
Compared with the situation in the previous month, the indicator of the building activity trend over the past three months improved by 5 points to 31. An increase of the construction activity was recorded by 30 % of respondents, its decrease by 25 % of respondents, and 45 % of enterprises considered it to be unchanged. Compared with January, the evaluation of the current level of overall order books deteriorated by 5 points to -18 mainly due to enterprises performing engineering works and specialized construction works. 26 % of respondents consider them to be insufficient, 73 % of them to be sufficient and for 1 % of respondents the current level of orders was more than sufficient. 36 % of respondents included weather conditions, 35 % insufficient demand, 26 % financial constraints, 24 % shortage of employees and 3 % lack of materials and mechanisms into the most significant factors limiting a growth of construction production currently. Respondents also report: winter season, lack of transparency in the use of public tenders, lengthy interventions of authorities, tax burden and taking holidays. 18 % of enterprises do not see any barriers of growth currently. Expectations of respondents in estimation of the employment development improved month-on-month, the business balance of the expected number of employees, increased by 1 point to 1, mainly due to enterprises performing construction of buildings. Over the next three months, 18 % of respondents expect an increase of employment, 66 % expect a stable development and 18 % of enterprises expect a decrease. Compared with January, the business balance of the expected construction production prices over the next three months decreased by 2 points to 12 mainly due to enterprises performing specialized construction works. 9 % of respondents expect a decrease in the price level of their production, 70 % do not expect changes and 21 % of enterprises assume an increase.
Note: * In February 2020, 367 respondents participated in the survey representing the entire construction sector. The values of the confidence indicator in construction and the balances range from -100 (responses of all respondents are pessimistic) to 100 (responses of all respondents are optimistic). Data are seasonally adjusted.