In January this year, Germany's construction sector recorded growth to a 58-month high of 57.9, according to Markit's seasonally adjusted Germany Construction Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI). The index was at 55.5 in December 2015.
The upturn in Germany’s construction sector gathered further momentum in January, with activity rising at the strongest rate in nearly five years and with companies the most upbeat about their prospects since March 2015.
“Germany’s construction sector has roared back to health at the beginning of the year, with the headline Construction PMI reaching its highest level in nearly five years. House building remained a particularly bright spot in the data, rising at the steepest rate in nine years. With large inflows of refugees and the government planning significant investments to support residential building projects, it is likely that construction activity will continue to expand in coming months,” Oliver Kolodseike, economist at Markit, commented.