Australia AiG Performance of Construction Index dropped sharply by -10.3 pts to 38.4 in August. Activity dropped -7.5 to 32.9. Employment dropped -11.8 to 49.0. New orders dropped -13.1 to 364. Input prices eased slightly by -5.4 to 91.8. Selling prices dropped -11.6 to 69.6.
Ai Group Head of Policy, Peter Burn, said: “Australia’s construction sector has shifted from healthy expansion to steep contraction in a flash as restrictions in the face of COVID-19 outbreaks have closed sites and disrupted supply chains.
“The impacts were concentrated in the south-east corner of the country although border closures by other states also contributed to supply chain disruptions and prevented the movement of construction personnel.”
