immo!nvest – Die Plattform für Standorte und Immobilien

Tag: Bauindex

  • Decline in orders continues

    Decline in orders continues

    In the first half of 2023, the main construction industry generated 11 billion Swiss francs in turnover, which is practically stagnant compared to the same semester last year. Building construction and civil engineering developed similarly. Accordingly, capacity utilisation is still high and the employment situation is good.

    Lower construction activity in the medium term

    In the medium term, however, the outlook is becoming gloomier. In the first half of the current year, orders in building construction were CHF 0.6 billion lower than in the same period last year, in civil engineering CHF 0.5 billion lower. Overall, this corresponds to a decline of 8.3 percent. Several companies even reported a negative order intake overall. This means that already planned construction projects were temporarily paused, redimensioned or completely put on hold.

    Accordingly, the work in progress has also decreased in the past quarters, standing at 15.9 billion Swiss francs at the end of June 2023, 2.6 percent lower than a year ago.

    From housing surplus to housing shortage

    The stock of housing orders has also declined. The trend is clear, too few flats will be built this year and next. In the last 12 months, the franc volume of approved housing applications has fallen by 9 per cent compared to the previous 12 months. The housing shortage could be solved more quickly with less regulation. In addition, appeals are often used to push through particular interests at the expense of the creation of new housing. SBC will lobby accordingly at the Federal Council’s next round table on the housing shortage so that construction activity can be accelerated again.

    SBC thanks Credit Suisse for very good cooperation – Construction Index to be continued

    The Construction Index predicts a 2% increase in turnover for the next quarter compared to the same period last year. This edition marks the end of SBC’s 14-year partnership with Credit Suisse on the Construction Index. SBC would like to thank Credit Suisse for the always very good cooperation, it has been greatly appreciated. SBC will continue the established forecasting tool, from the 4th quarter of 2023 in an adapted form and with a new look.

  • Material prices dampen growth in the construction industry

    Material prices dampen growth in the construction industry

    More is being built in Switzerland again: In the second quarter of 2022, sales in the main construction trades rose by around 6 percent year-on-year to CHF 6.1 billion. Incoming orders meanwhile increased by 12 percent to 6.4 billion Swiss francs. The figures come from the current construction index of Credit Suisse and the Swiss Builders' Association ( SBV ).

    However, according to the report, the growth will be put into perspective by the “sharp price increases” for many building materials and a “significant increase” in energy and transport costs. For example, the prices of probation bars have risen by 87 percent and those of plastic pipes by 19 percent compared to the same quarter of the previous year. Meanwhile, diesel was around 45 percent more expensive in the second quarter of 2022 than a year ago.

    Because sales have risen less than costs, the already low profit margin of 2 to 3 percent has now fallen even further, according to the report. In addition, the SBV expects the Swiss National Bank to raise interest rates further by the end of the year. As a result, sales in the main construction trades are likely to grow more slowly in the medium to long term. In the short term, the report assumes an 8.9 percent increase in sales in the third quarter of 2022 compared to the same quarter in the previous year.