A sample survey conducted among construction enterprises in the first quarter this year revealed that employment, wages and salaries, and hours worked increased by 0.1, 5.4 and 2.6 per cent respectively, when compared to the fourth quarter of 2009.

Quarterly comparison

During the first quarter of 2010, employment in construction activities rose by 0.1 per cent when compared to the fourth quarter of 2009. This increase was solely driven by a growth in employment in specialised construction activities (+4.0 per cent), against an employment decline in the construction of buildings and civil engineering of 2.9 and 2.5 per cent respectively.

The period under review revealed that wages and salaries rose by 5.4 per cent, comprising a 7.2 per cent rise in wages and salaries in respect of the construction of buildings, and a 7.7 per cent increase regarding specialised construction activities. On the other hand, wages and salaries paid to employees in civil engineering fell by 6.7 per cent.

Overall, hours worked in the construction sector rose by 2.6 per cent, underlined by a rise of 11.3 per cent in hours worked in specialised construction activities. By contrast, hours worked in the construction of buildings and civil engineering fell by 4.6 and 0.2 per cent respectively.

Annual comparison

Year-on-year data revealed that employment fell by 9.9 per cent, as a result of 11.6 and 7.6 per cent declines in the construction of buildings and specialised construction activities respectively. Employment in civil engineering fell by 12.5 per cent.

During the period under review, wages and salaries declined by 2.6 per cent, mainly due to a 5.9 per cent drop in wages and salaries paid to employees in the construction of buildings. On the other hand, wages and salaries paid for specialised construction activities rose by 1.3 per cent. Hours worked decreased by 9.4 per cent on account of 14.3 and 4.4 per cent drops in hours performed respectively with regard to the construction of buildings and specialised construction activities. Furthermore, working time in the civil engineering sector fell by 8.6 per cent over the comparative quarter of 2009.

New permits for residential buildings

For the first time, this release includes data on new residential permits. During the period under review, new permits for residential buildings fell by 31.7 per cent on account of a 36.8 per cent decline in new permits for residential buildings consisting of two and more dwellings. Year-on- year, new permits declined by 39.9 per cent, characterised by a drop of 45.9 per cent in permits for residential buildings comprising two and more dwellings, and a rise of 4.8 per cent in permits for one dwelling residential buildings.

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