The U.S. Census Bureau of the Department of Commerce announced today that construction spending during April 2013 was estimated at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $860.8 billion, 0.4 percent above the revised March estimate of $857.7 billion. The April figure is 4.3 percent above the April 2012 estimate of $825.1 billion.
During the first four months of this year, construction spending amounted to $250.7 billion, 4.5 percent above the $239.8 billion for the same period in 2012.
Private construction
Spending on private construction was at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $602.0 billion, 1.0 percent above the revised March estimate of $595.9 billion. Residential construction was at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $301.9 billion in April, 0.1 percent below the revised March estimate of $302.2 billion. Nonresidential construction was at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $300.1 billion in April, 2.2 percent above the revised March estimate of $293.7 billion.
Public construction
In April, the estimated seasonally adjusted annual rate of public construction spending was $258.8 billion, 1.2 percent below the revised March estimate of $261.8 billion. Educational construction was at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $58.7 billion, 4.4 percent below the revised March estimate of $61.4 billion. Highway construction was at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $76.7 billion, 0.5 percent above the revised March estimate of $76.2 billion.
Here's a sector breakdown by seasonally adjusted annual rate (CLICK TABLE TO ENLARGE):