Construction orders suffer big falls

Construction orders in the three months to December 2008 fell by 9% compared with the previous three month period.

Figures from the Office for National Statistics showed orders in the 12 months to December 2008 fell 16% in comparison with the previous 12 months and orders in the three months to December 2008 fell 26% compared with the same period a year earlier.

Private housing was worst hit, down by 57% in the final three months of 2008 compared with a year earlier. Public housing orders fell by 28%.

Infrastructure orders in the three months to December 2008 rose by 20% compared with the previous three month period, and rose by 20% when compared with the same three month period a year earlier.

Private commercial orders in the last quarter of 2008 fell 22% compared with the previous three months and were down 41% on the same period a year ago.

Industrial orders dropped by 17% over the previous quarter and fell by 36% over the last quarter a year ago.