According to the report from IHS Markit, measures to limit the spread of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) severely impacted the eurozone construction sector in March, with construction activity falling sharply as new orders slumped. The downturn in the sector was accompanied by job shedding. Input purchases plummeted as construction work fell, with firms also facing great difficulty securing inputs due to supply chain disruptions. Delivery times lengthened at a pace not seen in the 20-year survey history. Business expectations turned negative for the first time for nearly four-and-a-half years.

The Eurozone Construction PMI plunged from 52.5 in February to 33.5 in March, pointing to the steepest decline in construction activity across the currency area since February 2009 during the global financial crisis. The downturn in construction activity was broad based across the eurozone, with Italy recording the sharpest decline. Germany registered the slowest contraction of construction output, albeit still marked overall.