Dodge Data & Analytics, New York, has reported construction starts decreased 5% in September. Total construction starts in September were down 3% compared with September 2018.
“Large projects continue to make their presence felt in the monthly statistics, sometimes obscuring underlying trends,” says Richard Branch, chief economist for Dodge Data & Analytics. “Nevertheless, construction starts have certainly throttled back in 2019 due to mounting uncertainty over the country’s economic health.”
Nonresidential building construction increased 1% in September. The growth was the direct result of a 243% rise in manufacturing starts. Commercial construction starts fell 14% in September as the office sector pulled back. Institutional starts fell 1% in September.
Residential building construction fell 6% in September. Single-family housing dropped 6%, and multifamily construction rose 6%.
Nonbuilding construction decreased 13% in September.
During the first nine months of 2019, nonresidential building was down 4% compared with the same time period in 2018. Residential building decreased 6%, and nonbuilding construction rose 4%.
