French construction sector remains under strain

French construction firms reduced their purchases of materials midway through the fourth quarter, stretching the trend of falling buying activity to over two-and-a-half years.

The HCOB Construction PMI in France rose to 43.6 in November 2025 from 39.8 in the prior month. This marked the 42nd consecutive month of contraction in the French construction sector, and although the downturn eased somewhat, it remained sharp.

The downturn was still concentrated in residential construction, but declines in activity softened across all segments, including commercial and civil engineering.

New work fell further, extending the current decline in building demand to over three-and-a-half years, though at its slowest pace since March. At the same time, firms continued to reduce their purchases of materials and staffing numbers.

Supplier issues intensified in November, despite an absence of demand pressure.

On the price front, the rate of input price inflation accelerated to a ten-month high, but stayed well below its historical average. Lastly, French constructors' assessment of activity prospects in the year ahead remained pessimistic.