Dodge Data & Analytics, New York, has reported construction starts rose 1.7% in August after falling 10% in July.
Nonresidential building construction fell 5.4% in August as manufacturing starts dropped 24.4% and commercial starts fell 12%. Institutional starts rose 3.7%.
Residential building construction rose 2.4% in August. Single-family housing fell 5.4%, and multifamily starts grew 15.5%.
Nonbuilding construction rose 9.3% in August.
For the 12 months ending August, total construction starts were up 4.7% compared with the 12 months ending August 2024. Nonbuilding construction rose 12.1%; nonresidential building climbed 4.8%; and residential building fell 1.2%.
“Construction activity continues to present a mixed picture,” said Sarah Martin, associate director of forecasting at Dodge Construction Network. “August growth was concentrated in a few key sectors, while single-family and commercial projects experienced broad declines. Large-scale megaprojects continue to support overall activity, but with mounting signs of economic softness, the pace of growth is beginning to moderate.”
