The building market could stabilize in 2016 in France.
The activity of the building industry (including markets of mirrors and marble) in France could stabilize this year, which would end a "continuous slump since 2012," said Thursday the Confederation of Crafts and small construction companies (Capeb).
With a decline of 2% in volume last year, reduced to -1% last quarter, 2015 "ends with less degradation of the activity of the building crafts," announced during a Capeb press conference.
However, this is the fourth annual decline of activity in the sector, which lost another 15,000 jobs last year, lamented Patrick Liébus, president of Capeb.
"Fortunately, the 2016 outlook is less dramatic, thanks to devices for the energy performance of new and accessibility of the built," he has said.
If it is "hard to be optimistic" vis-à-vis 2016, for Capeb, it's a little more confidence, building on "a change in volume of 0-1%".
Indeed, a "less degradation in new markets and the energy renovation and accessibility, should create more favorable prospects", which would "stop the continuous slump since 2012".
For Capeb, "speak of real recovery is premature, however, while the unfair competition and lack of consumer confidence ostensibly inhibit the growth of the activity of the building crafts."
In the fourth quarter 2015, the activity in the nine still yielded 2.5% (against 5% in Q3), while it remained sluggish in eco-renovation (against -1%).
Over the whole of last year, the activity in the nine fell by 4.5%, but the sector has benefited from the growth of energy performance works (+ 1%) and the resumption of sales of existing homes .
Despite this, the maintenance and renovation activity fell 0.5%, as in 2014.
As for the improvement seen since August 2015, sales of new homes, it "should take effect sometime in 2016," said Capeb.
In early January 2016, the order books represent 72 working days, or seven days from a year earlier.
For 2016, Capeb expects a decline in activity of 0.5% to 1.5% in the nine offset by an increase of 0.5% to 1.5% in the maintenance and renovation.
