Decline in construction activity slows in December

Construction activity remained in a state of contraction for the sixth consecutive month in December, with the commercial property sector worst hit, but recovered slightly from November to round out the year in a marginally better place.

The headline BNP Paribas Real Estate Ireland Construction Total Activity Index - which tracks changes in the total volume of construction activity compared with one month previously - inched closer to but still remained below the crucial no-change 50.0 mark last month. December posted a reading of 45.1, up from 44.5 in November to signal a softer pace of decline in the final month of the year.