U.S. Construction Spending Posts Surprising Gain
In April, construction spending in the U.S. rose 0.8 percent, the highest gain since August 2008, surprised economists who were expecting a decline of 1.2 percent. The unexpected gain in April is the second straight month that builders increased spending on construction projects around the country. Prior to the gain in March, U.S. construction spending had fallen for five consecutive months. Private builders increased spending on housing projects by 0.7 percent in April, which marked the first gain since August 2008. Private spending on all other construction projects other than residential ones jumped 1.8 percent during the same time period,…