Orders in the 12 months to June 2008 fell 7% compared with the previous 12 months and orders in the second quarter of 2008 fell by 21% compared with the same period a year earlier

Orders in the second quarter of 2008 fell by 8% compared with the previous quarter, with decreases in all sectors except public non-housing and public housing.

Construction orders in the same period fell by a whopping 21%.

Private commercial and industrial orders for the 12 months to June fell 8% and 24% respectively compared with 2007, with second quarter figures for the two sectors down 33% and 38% respectively on the quarter.