2023-06-12 18:30:22
Business leaders operating in the construction sector anticipate an increase in their activity in the second quarter of 2023, according to the quarterly business survey carried out by the High Commission for Planning (HCP).
According to the explanations of the public institution, directed by Ahmed Lahlimi Alami, this evolution would result, on the one hand, from the increase in activity expected in the branch of “Civil engineering” and, on the other hand, from the decrease in activity foreseen at the level of the branch of “Specialized construction works”.
In an information note made public recently, the High Commission stresses that “this development in the construction sector would be accompanied by a stability in the number of employees employed”.
In the first quarter of 2023, the results of the HCP’s quarterly business survey show that activity in the Construction sector would have experienced stability during the first three months of 2023.
This development would have been due, on the one hand, to the increase in activity in “Civil engineering” and, on the other hand, to the drop in activity in the branch of “Specialized construction work”, explains the body responsible for the production, analysis and publication of official statistics in Morocco in its note.
The same source also reports that order books in construction would have been at a lower level than normal and employment would have been stable.
The High Commission estimates, under these conditions, that the TUC in the construction sector would have been 68% for the first quarter last.
It should also be noted that during this same period, 19% of construction companies declared having encountered difficulties in the supply of raw materials.
The survey also reveals that nearly half of companies operating in this sector (44%) believe that cash would have been “difficult” during this same quarter.
It is important to remember that the expectations put forward by business leaders in the construction sector during the previous business survey (carried out for the first quarter of 2023), had shown, overall, a stability in activity.
According to expectations at the time, this development would result, on the one hand, from the increase in activity expected in the branch of “construction of buildings” and, on the other hand, from the reduction in activity forecast at the level of the branch of “Specialized construction work”.
In its information note published last March, the High Commission had also indicated that this development in the construction sector would be accompanied by a stability in the number of employees employed.
Three months earlier, in the fourth quarter of 2022, business leaders had estimated that activity in the construction sector would have stabilized.
In its memorandum at the time, the High Commission attributed this development, on the one hand, to the increase in activity in the “construction of buildings” branch and, on the other hand, to the stability of activity in “Civil Engineering” and “Specialized Construction Works”.
The HCP had also noted that: “the construction order books would have been at a lower level than normal and employment would have experienced stability”, thus estimating that the TUC in the Construction sector would have settled at 67%.
In addition, the public body had reported that “28% of construction companies would have encountered difficulties in the supply of raw materials” during the last quarter of the past year. 49% had also considered cash flow “difficult” during this same period.
Finally, it should also be recalled that 39% of construction companies had declared that they had made investment expenditure in 2022 intended, mainly, to replace part of the equipment.
Alain Bouithy
1686628389
#construction #sector #expects #workforce #stability #quarter
