A new global infrastructure sentiment survey is to be published on 11 September, revealing for the first time a comprehensive picture of the global infrastructure sector.
A new survey and its attached report has been developed in consultation with industry leaders to provide a comprehensive quarterly indicator to help inform the whole infrastructure ecosystem about the perceived economic outlook across different continents and infrastructure sectors and disciplines.
To produce the report, the sentiment survey was put to hundreds of infrastructure leaders around the world, asking their views of the industry now, and their expectations for a year’s time. The intention is to chart positive and negative trends around the world over the long run, while the first report acts as a snapshot of the world now.
Q2 results
As IG has reported, Q2 financial results have been positive across much of the industry and this appears to be reflected in the upcoming report. Firms’ overall finances are reported as stable with a positive outlook both currently and 12 months into the future.
The survey, conducted for Q2 of 2023 and set to be published in September, suggests that project activity is stable with a lean towards positive activity in the public/private sector in 12 months. It also suggests a significant positive demand for low carbon solutions but that funding remains an issue.
Regionally, Africa had the least positive sentiment and North America the most, which may reflect both the investment gap faced by Africa and the major impact being had by the USA’s huge infrastructure investment policies.
At the same time, the survey has been issued to global industry leaders to complete for Q3 and the build up of quarterly sentiment results will track trends over the long term. To take part in the Q3 sentiments survey, click here.
Diverse breakdowns
The report looks at distinct sectors and finds that the energy sector displayed the strongest polarisation of sentiment – with strong outlooks for renewables contrasting with moves away from carbon-based generation.
The water sector had the most positive sentiment across various sub-sectors, while residential, hospitals and data centres were felt to be the main sub-sectors driving the buildings sector.
Sentiment in the resources sector is most positive in mining, which may reflect the use and demand of rare earth minerals for use in batteries and renewables.
Introducing the report, FIDIC CEO Dr Nelson Ogunshakin OBE, said: “This survey and the subsequent report will be conducted on a quarterly basis to provide the infrastructure sector with metrics on how the market is currently performing and how individuals believe it will be performing in 12 months time. This first survey acts as a snapshot but, as we progress through the first year, trend analysis and additional sector breakdowns will be included.”
Due to be published in September, this will be the first report of a quarterly global survey that will provide detailed breakdowns to inform decision and provide a whole-world picture of the infrastructure ecosystem. Created by FIDIC’s Global Leadership Forum, the reports has been made available already to Forum members and will be published for attendees of the Global infrastructure Conference in September.
