U.S. construction spending went up by
0.4 percent in November - the third straight month that showed an increase, the
Associated General Contractors of America said.
Citing U.S. Census Bureau data, the
association said private residential and public construction each gained
0.7 percent from October. Private nonresidential construction edged down 0.1
percent.
“It is heartening to see three increases in a row for the
total,” said Ken Simonson, the association’s chief economist. “But most
categories showed more of a seesaw pattern over the past three months,
indicating that construction spending remains fragile at best.”
AGC Chief Executive Officer Stephen E. Sandherr urged
the new Congress not to cut spending on infrastructure improvements.
“Deferring
needed improvements to our aging transportation network will undermine business
activity today while saddling future taxpayers with ever-larger maintenance and
repair costs,” he said.
