Dodge Data & Analytics, New York, has reported construction starts fell 9% in April after increasing 3% in March.
Nonresidential building construction fell 3% in April as commercial starts dropped 21%. Manufacturing starts surged 78%, and institutional starts rose 2%.
Residential building construction fell 4% in April after declining 5% in March. Single-family housing fell 5%, and multifamily starts dropped 3%.
Nonbuilding construction fell 22% in April.
For the 12 months ending April, total construction starts were up 2% compared with the 12 months ending April 2024. Nonbuilding construction rose 5%; nonresidential building rose 1%; and residential building was unchanged.
“Broad-based monthly declines in construction starts represent a troubling signal for the sector,” said Eric Gaus, chief economist at Dodge Construction Network. “While not definitive, the slowdown in April aligns with delays in the planning pipeline and other economic data that capture the volatility and uncertainty of all the April tariff announcements. Uncertainty around trade policy and the economy’s direction will continue to weigh on construction activity in the coming months.”
