Following French media speculation, France’s third-largest contractor Eiffage named Benoît de Ruffray as chairman and CEO on Dec. 9, replacing Pierre Berger, who suffered a fatal heart attack on Oct. 23 at age 47.

Prices across Europe are “broadly flat,” rising by around 2% in France and Germany and more slowly in southern European countries, says Simon Rawlinson, head of strategic research and insight at Arcadis LLP, London.

Economists are fairly optimistic about construction activity in 2016.