Construction spending rose 0.3 percent in March to $1,137.5 billion (SAAR). February’s spending estimate was revised down to $1,133.6 billion. During the first three months of the year, construction spending amounted to $240.4 billion, 9.1 percent higher than in the first three months of 2015.
Total private construction rose to a rate of $842.3 billion, 1.1 percent above February’s estimate of $832.8 billion.
Private residential construction fell 1.9 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $295.2 billion.
Private nonresidential construction rose 0.7 percent to a rate of $406.8 billion, rising broadly across most nonresidential categories.
Public construction fell 1.9 percent to a rate of $295.2 billion, in large part due to a 14 percent decline in transportation construction.
Read the Census release.
