International Construction December podcast (audio)

In this month's podcast, iC editor Chris Sleight and deputy editor Helen Wright look at some of the key stories in the December issue of the magazine.

In this month's news we look at new forecasts for global construction spending from IHS Global Insight. These show that although growth in construction output will increase in 2012, the figures won't be as strong as previously predicted.

From iC's business section we discuss the news that Cemex has agreed a US$ 600 million compensation package with the Venezuelan government following the forcible nationalisation of the country's cement industry in 2008.

December's regional report looks at the construction markets of North Africa. Although the uprisings of the Arab Spring earlier in the year have caused disruption to the sector, the long-term prospects for this commodity-rich region remain strong.

We also discuss developments in the concrete construction sector in one of December's features. One of the trends in the sector is that contractors are relying more and more on their suppliers not just for equipment and products, but also for their technical expertise.