This week’s global construction input landscape reflects significant seasonal shifts. Europe is moving deeper into its winter slowdown, several African regions are scaling up activity under improving conditions, and Asia-Pacific markets continue to navigate monsoon-driven delays and tactical procurement strategies. Refineries, logistics flows, and on-ground project conditions are shaping how demand evolves across all regions.
The onset of winter sharply reduced construction activity across north and central Europe, with rainfall and freezing conditions limiting work in Germany, Poland, the Czech Republic, and the Nordics. Offered cargoes increasingly struggled to find homes as project volumes tapered off.
Refinery constraints worsened the supply environment. Hungary’s Százhalombatta unit continued running at restricted rates, while refineries in Germany and Bulgaria remained offline or had limited output. This tightening regional supply coincided with declining consumption, creating an unusual blend of oversupply in some corridors and undersupply in others.
Weather disruptions also slowed activity in the UK and Ireland, where storms and flooding caused road closures and reduced execution rates. In Spain and France, domestic demand remained resilient, supported by ongoing projects and steady refinery performance.
West Africa continued its upward trend in activity as dry-season conditions supported roadbuilding and project mobilization. Nigeria, Ghana, and Ivory Coast all experienced increased operational momentum, even as port handling complexities persisted. Several tankers executed regional deliveries into Senegal, Togo, and Nigeria, reinforcing strong intra-African flows.
North African markets remained active ahead of expected slowdowns linked to regional events. Algeria and Morocco continued to pull volumes from multiple suppliers, with Greek and Spanish origins playing a key role in meeting requirements.
In East Africa, Kenya benefited from improving weather, driving project acceleration. Tanzania and the DRC experienced sporadic rainfall, limiting their pace of progress. Supply chains remained supported by steady drummed and bulk logistics from the Middle East.
South Africa faced the opposite trend: persistent rainfall, high stock levels, and multiple vessel arrivals created pressure on domestic inventories. Suppliers were increasingly focused on clearing tanks before the holiday-season slowdown in mid-December.
Across Asia, weather and logistics played a significant role in shaping procurement decisions. In Southeast Asia, muted buying interest persisted in Singapore, Vietnam, and the Philippines as monsoon systems and full storage reduced activity. Malaysia accelerated year-end projects ahead of heavy rains, while Indonesia pushed to complete works supported by government fund disbursement.
In Northeast Asia, South Korea responded to slower demand with more competitive tender outcomes, while China managed a mix of lower seasonal consumption and cautious refinery output. East and south China experienced softer sentiment as weather and funding delayed new construction cycles.
Vietnam remained heavily impacted by monsoon rains, limiting appetite for new cargoes. Supply availability was healthy across the region, but buyers adopted a wait-and-see approach due to both weather and market conditions.
With seasonal weather now defining activity across multiple regions, the next 4–6 weeks will determine how supply chains prepare for early-2026 requirements. Stakeholders should monitor refinery restarts, regional weather windows, and local construction funding cycles as planning for next quarter begins.