After the solid improvement in February the national construction sector slipped back in March with the Australian Industry Group/Housing Industry Association Australian Performance of Construction Index (Australian PCI®) 6.6 points weaker at 39.0 (readings below 50 indicate a contraction in the industry with the distance from 50 indicative of the strength of the decline). All the major sub-sectors were in negative territory in March - engineering construction registered the steepest fall - dropping 14.8 points to 38.4. Commercial construction had the lowest reading - 29.2. New orders, employment and deliveries from ... (full story)