(CIANEWS) - Totally 74% of construction companies expect the construction market to decline by 4.6% in 2023. Their concerns stem mainly from the continuous price increase and shortage of construction materials, the conflict in Ukraine and the energy crisis, which could lead to the postponement of some projects. The average capacity utilisation in Q4 2022 is 97%, while for Q1 2023 it is expected to drop to 85%. CEEC Research's Q4/2022 Quarterly Analysis of the Czech Construction Industry also shows that 67% of companies predict an average 3.5% drop in sales. 49% of companies expect sales growth only in 2024.