Construction (west):
Mild winter but poor equipment utilisation rate

Nothing has changed regarding the unsatisfactory situation of the western German construction trade during the last four months. Building activity has decreased again, equipment utilisation at 57% was under the comparable value of the previous year (61%). Reports of production constraints because of inadequate order reserves increased, in building construction they have reached an all-time high. With regard to the business outlook, pessimism has declined somewhat, however, in both building construction and in civil engineering.