(Alliance News) - Construction activity in the UK rose faster in November amid rising demand for commercial work, survey results from S&P Global showed Thursday.
The S&P Global UK construction purchasing managers' index rose to 55.2 points in November from 54.3 in October. Growing further above the neutral 50-point mark separating growth from contraction, it indicates the pace of activity growth accelerated in November.
The faster upturn in construction output was supported by the sharpest rise in commercial work for two and a half years, S&P Global highlighted.
However, Tim Moore, economist director at S&P Global Market Intelligence, cautioned: "The recovery in construction activity remains somewhat lopsided. Strengthening demand for commercial work and civil engineering projects contrasted with a sustained downturn in house building. Commercial construction activity expanded at the fastest pace for two-and-a-half years in November, while residential work declined at the steepest rate since June. Elevated borrowing costs and fragile client confidence meanwhile acted as a brake on new order growth in November, with the upturn in sales the slowest for five months."
S&P Global added: "Purchasing activity meanwhile increased at the slowest pace since the current phase of expansion began in May, largely reflecting a loss of momentum for new order growth."
The PMI is compiled by S&P Global from responses to questionnaires sent to a panel of around 150 construction companies in the UK. The responses were collected between November 12 and 28.
By Tom Budszus, Alliance News slot editor
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