UK construction output falls sharply in August

Construction output in the UK fell sharply in August.

Total production sank at a 1.5% month-on-month clip, according to the Office for National Statistics, and by 0.2% versus the prior year month.

Economists had expected no change over the month and growth of 1.1% year-on-year.

July´s fall was revised up from an initial estimate of -1.0% to a decline of 0.5%.

Compared to July, new work and repair and maintenance output registered decreases of 1.4% and 1.5% over the month, respectively.

Within the new work category, the largest fall came from infrastructure, ONS said.

In terms of quarterly rates of change, output in construction dropped 1.3%.

ONS cautioned against over-interpreting the figures for any single month.

As of 0957 BST cable was off by 0.33% to 1.2212.