Press Release 19/05/2015

CONSTRUCTION INDEX. I/2015

The Construction sector in the Basque Country rose by 0.8% in the first quarter of 2015

The first positive variation since the third quarter of 2008

Construction activity in the Basque Country registered a year-on-year nominal upturn of 0.8% in the first quarter of 2015, in homogeneous terms of the working calendar, according to data prepared by EUSTAT. It is the first positive variation seen in the sector after 25 consecutive quarters of decreases.

Once corrected for seasonal factors, the Construction sector grew by 0.5% in this first quarter of 2015 compared to the fourth quarter of 2014.

The rise in the Construction sector in this quarter was due to both the positive performance of the Building subsector, which registered a year-on-year upturn of 0.8%, and the Civil Works subsector, which posted a rise of 0.5%.

In quarter-on-quarter terms, if the activity of the sector in the first quarter of 2015 is compared to the previous quarter, the Civil Works subsector posted a downturn of 7.5%, whereas the Building subsector rose by 2.1%.

Employment in the Construction sector saw a decrease of 0.4% in the first quarter of 2015 compared to the fourth quarter of 2014.

For further information:

Eustat - Euskal Estatistika Erakundea / Instituto Vasco de Estadística C/ Donostia-San Sebastián, 1 01010 Vitoria-Gasteiz Press Service: servicioprensa@eustat.eus Tlf: 945 01 75 62 Further press releases on Construction index of the Basque Country (ICC) Database on Construction index of the Basque Country (ICC)