Bumpy ride for private-commercial orders

Orders for private-commercial projects dipped by 1% in the year to May 2004 compared to the previous year — according to figures from the Department of Trade & Industry. However, there was a 29% rise in the three months to May compared to the same period a year earlier, but a 9% fall on the previous three months. For the construction industry as a whole, orders for the three months to May rose by 9% over the previous three months — with increases in all sectors except private commercial. Infrastructure orders rose by 40% compared with the previous three months, but were 26% down on the year. Orders for private housing rose on all measures. They were 2% up on the previous three months and 4% up on the year. Orders for the three months to May were 12% up on the same three months a year earlier. There were big rises in public-housing and housing-association orders. They were a massive 38% up on the previous three months and 4% up on the year. There was a 6% rise compared with the same three months a year earlier. Healthy growth continued in the private-industrial sector. The year-on-year rise was 8%, with orders for the three months to May up by 5% compared with the previous three months. The 3-month orders were 4% higher than the same period a year earlier.