Hungary Construction Output Tumbles in September

Hungary’s construction output tumbled 5.6% year-on-year in September 2026, retreating from a more than four-year high and revised 19.7% gain in the previous month. Civil engineering output plunged 22.2%, largely dragged down by declines in road and railway construction (-20.9%), utility projects (-28%) and other civil engineering works (-79.9%). In contrast, building construction output rose 5.3%. On a seasonally and working-day-adjusted monthly basis, construction output dropped 9.9%, reversing a downwardly revised 6.4% increase in August. During the first nine months of the year, construction output remained unchanged from the corresponding period a year earlier.

Hungary’s construction output jumped 21.9% year-on-year in August 2026, rebounding sharply from a 12.2% decline in the previous month. The latest figure marked the largest increase since February 2022, as both major construction groups recorded stronger activity. Civil engineering output surged 102.4%, reversing a 14.0% plunge, driven largely by a 183.6% increase in output in the relevant segment, a 142% jump in road and railway construction, and a 319.9% rise in utility projects. Meanwhile, building construction declined at a softer pace, falling 9.6% compared with a 10.7% drop in July. On a seasonally and working-day-adjusted monthly basis, construction output increased 14.0% in August, following a 4.6% decline in the previous month. In the January–August period, total construction output edged up 0.1% compared with the same period a year earlier.

Hungary’s construction output plunged by 12.2% year-on-year in July 2026, following a 1.2% decline in the previous month. This marked the third consecutive month of contraction and the sharpest decline since January, as both major construction groups recorded weaker activity. Building construction fell further by 10.7%, compared with a 5.5% decline in June. Meanwhile, civil engineering output dropped 14.0%, reversing a 5.6% increase in the previous month. The decline was largely driven by a 26.2% reduction in road and railway construction and a 52.2% fall in utility projects, which had respective negative contributions of 14.5 and 19.5 percentage points to the division’s overall performance. On a seasonally and working-day adjusted monthly basis, construction activity decreased by 4.6%, following a downwardly revised 4.0% decline in the preceding month. In the January–July period, total construction output fell by 2.7% compared with the same period a year earlier.