Total construction spending rose 0.6% in March, month over month, according to data recently released by the US Census Bureau. Residential spending rose 1.6%, while non-residential spending fell 0.2% over the same time period.
Year-on-year, total construction spending rose 1.6% in March, driven by a 3.5% increase in the residential market, while non-residential spending saw a slight rebound to 0.2%. “Residential construction rebounded in March and investment linked to data centers and energy projects continues to support activity, but several traditional non-residential segments, including manufacturing and commercial construction, continue to lag,” said Macrina Wilkins, director of market information for the Associated General Contractors of America, in a press release.
Manufacturing spending fell 17% from March 2025, down 1.1% from February. Monthly, several other markets, such as education, transport and roads and streets, also experienced a decline in spending.
“While much of the ongoing decline is due to the continued decline in manufacturing-related construction activity, the weakness [in the non-residential sector] is becoming more widespread,” Anirban Basu, chief economist at Associated Builders and Contractors, said in a statement. “Both public and private sector activity fell in March, with the latter down more than 2% year-on-year.”
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