Decline in construction worsens

The downturn affecting Ireland’s once thriving construction sector is showing real signs of worsening, with one of its main performance gauges noting activity declined at the fastest pace for nine months in June.

The latest monthly Ulster Bank Construction Purchasing Managers’ Index shows a reading of 42.5 points for June.

While anything below the neutral 50-point mark illustrates a sector in decline, the reading for last month was also comfortably down on the 46.3-point measure for May.