British construction sector activity expanded at the fastest pace in nearly six-and-a-half years in January, a survey by Markit Economics and the Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply (CIPS) revealed Tuesday.
The purchasing managers' index, a measure of the country's construction sector performance, rose to 64.6 in January from 62.1 in December. Economists had forecast the index to fall to 61.5.
The January reading was the highest since August 2007. The index has now posted above the boom-or-bust threshold of 50 for nine successive months.
Residential construction remained the best performing subcategory, with the latest expansion of housing activity the steepest since November 2003, Markit said in the report. Commercial building work and civil engineering activity both increased at the steepest pace since the summer of 2007.
Volumes of new work received by UK construction companies increased for the ninth successive month and at the sharpest pace since August 2007, in line with the trend for output.
Confidence about the year-ahead outlook was the most positive since September 2009, the survey found.
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