BRITAIN'S housebuilding recovery spurred the first rise in construction output for seven months in May, raising hopes the sectors slump may be easing.
The fastest increase in housebuilding work for more than two years lifted the closely-watched Markit/CIPS construction purchasing managers index (PMI) to a reading of 50.8 in May - above the 50 level which separates growth from contraction.
That was the first positive construction PMI since October and followed a 49.4 reading in April, defying economists who had expected only a slight improvement.
But while housebuilding has been boosted by Government stimulus measures, the survey pointed to another fall in commercial building and civil engineering, where spending is drying up.
Tim Moore, senior economist at Markit, said while construction appears to have finally pulled out of a tailspin, the sector is worryingly reliant on residential building work for thrust.
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