Nonresidential pulls down U.S. construction spending 1.1% in January

Updated Mar 2, 2015

shutterstock_67527154U.S. construction spending fell 1.1 percent during January due to nonresidential construction decreases in both the public and private sectors.

Overall spending fell to $971.4 billion, according to preliminary estimates from the Commerce Department. However, the figure remains up 1.8 percent over January 2014.

Nonresidential spending fell 2 percent to $614.1 billion. Thirteen of the sector’s 16 markets saw decreases in January. The largest percent decrease was religious construction, down 11.4 percent to $3 billion. Next were sewage and waste disposal and water supply, each falling 7.5 percent to $23.1 billion and $12.6 billion, respectively.

Private nonresidential spending fell 1.6 percent to $346 billion while public nonresidential fell 2.6 percent to $268 billion. Highway and street spending were one of the few public spending increases, up 0.6 percent to $88 billion.

Total residential spending was up 0.6 percent for the month to $357 billion.

Private home builders increased spending 0.6 percent for the month to $352 billion. Construction spending on single-family homes in the sector improved 0.6 percent to $205 billion while apartment construction rose 1.9 percent to $49 billion.

Government residential spending fell 1.7 percent to $5.5 billion.