Following last year’s recovery in German cement demand, a subdued start to 2015 means growth is likely to peter out. Housebuilding continues to recover from a low base, but the outlook for industrial construction appears downbeat. On the corporate front, M&A activity and asset swaps by European majors have led to some German plants now being under new management.
The German economy grew by 3.4 per cent in 2014, an increase on the 2.2 per cent advance in the previous year. This compares with growth rates of 1.9 per cent in 2012 and 4.8 per cent in 2011. Meanwhile, construction investments improved by 3.4 per cent last year and represented 4.8 per cent of GDP. This compares with growth for construction investments rates of 1.9 per cent in 2013, 3.4 per cent in 2012, 11.1 per cent in 2011 and 4.6 per cent in 2010.
