The Irish construction sector remained in contraction in March, but the pace of deterioration in activity eased over the month, a survey by Markit Economics showed Wednesday.
The Ulster Bank Construction Purchasing Managers' Index, a seasonally adjusted index designed to track changes in total construction activity, rose to 46.7 in March, from 45.8 in the previous month. A PMI reading below 50 suggests contraction.
The new orders index rose in March, and has returned very close to the breakeven mark of 50. This indicated that the multi-year slump in orders may finally give way to a less negative pattern, the report said.
Each of the main sub-sectors, namely civil engineering, housing and commercial construction, continued to decline in March.
For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com
Economic News
What parts of the world are seeing the best (and worst) economic performances lately? Click here to check out our Econ Scorecard and find out! See up-to-the-moment rankings for the best and worst performers in GDP, unemployment rate, inflation and much more.
June 05, 2026 16:18 ET A busy week for economic news flow saw a slew of reports being released that reflected the trends in the U.S. labor market. In Europe, economic growth and inflation data gained attention as the European Central Bank and Bank of England head for policy session later in the month. In Asia, the monetary policy session of the Indian central bank was in focus as the country, a major oil importer, reels under the pressures of a weaker rupee and rising inflation.