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Nonresidential Construction Strong

Words: Dan KamysThe credit and housing markets aren't contagion for nonresidential construction. "Nonresidential construction shrugged off the turmoil in homebuilding and credit markets in July to post another solid gain," Ken Simonson, chief economist for the Associated General Contractors of America (AGC) said regarding a Sept. 4 construction spending report from the Census Bureau.

"Although total construction spending slipped 0.4 percent in July, seasonally adjusted; and residential fell 1.4 percent, nonresidential spending climbed 0.6 percent, the 10th-consecutive monthly gain," Simonson said. "For the first seven months of 2007 combined, total construction was down 3.4 percent and residential plummeted 18 percent compared to the same period in 2006. Those figures obscure the 15 percent jump in nonresidential spending."

Simonson said private, nonresidential construction rose 0.4 percent in July and 17 percent year-to-date, and that the three most speculative components, commercial, office and lodging, advanced. Commercial construction was up 0.6 percent for the month and 15 percent year-to-date. The two biggest commercial subcomponents, multi-retail and warehouses, leaped 4 percent in July and 28 percent year-to-date. Private office construction climbed 0.6 percent and 22 percent, and lodging shot up 0.8 percent and 60 percent.

"Other strong gainers included power, up 0.5 percent and 19 percent, and private health care (principally hospitals), up 1.3 percent and 13 percent," Simonson said. "I anticipate these categories will remain vigorous, but I expect credit-sensitive types such as office, warehouse, retail and lodging to slow soon."

Simonson said public construction was up 0.7 percent in July and 11 percent year-to-date. "The biggest component, education, rose 1.9 percent and 12 percent," he said. "But highway and street construction, which received a big boost in late-2005 and early-2006, was down 0.8 percent for the month and was only 5 percent higher year-to-date. Partly, that reflects lower prices for diesel and asphalt, but it also shows states are running short of highway funds as gas tax receipts slow.
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