Market services in 2021 output returns to pre-crisis levels

Market services are growing again in 2021. Their value added will increase by 5.5% in volume. This is less than manufacturing, construction or trade, however.

Service activities in contact with the public are rebounding all the more strongly since they had fallen heavily with the health restrictions (catering, personal services, commercial cultural and recreationalactivities) and with the traffic restrictions (accommodation).

Activity in computer services, engineering and in information services and telecommunications is also dynamic.

Real estate activities are clearly on the rise again, driven by sales by property dealers and real estate agencies, while output is growing more slowly in the housing rental sector, which had held up well in 2020. Growth in investment in market services is significantly higher than in previous years (+9.2%).

Consumption of services is also rebounding (+5.1%), but without returning to its 2019 level. Foreign trade in services increased again and the surplus balance exceeded 5 billion euros.