MNI DATA ANALYSIS: US July Construction Up 0.1%>

--Private Residential Spending +0.6%; Nonresidential -1.0%

--Public Construction Spending +0.7%

By Shikha Dave and Harrison Clarke

     WASHINGTON (MNI) - Construction spending rose by 0.1% in July, 

below the 0.4% gain expected, as residential construction saw gains but 

nonresidential construction saw declines. Nonresidential fell by a 

larger 1.0% compared to residential construction gains of 0.6%, data 

released by the Commerce Department Tuesday morning showed. 

     Analysts surveyed by MNI had expected total construction spending 

to rise by 0.4% after a large fall of 1.1% in June. June was revised up 

to -0.8%, May construction was revised down to +0.7%, while April was 

unrevised at +1.7%.   

--PRIVATE BUILDING DECLINES SLIGHTLY    

     Private residential construction rose by 0.6% in the month, 

following a 0.9% decline in June. Home building ex. new homes, also 

known as remodeling, saw a 2.1% rise, according to an MNI calculation. 

     Also based on an MNI calculation, total new homes fell by 0.3%. 

Single-family building was down 0.3%, and multi-family building posted 

a 0.4% decline. 

     In addition to the gain in private residential, private 

nonresidential construction fell by 1.0% in July, driving the decline in 

total private construction. The main drivers of the category were 

declines in commercial (-3.4%), health care (-2.2%), and power (-0.7%). 

--PUBLIC CONSTRUCTION POSTS GAINS

     Following an upward June revision to a 1.7% decline, public 

construction spending rose 0.7% in July. 

     The rise in public construction was driven by a large 3.2% rise in 

health care, a 2.1% rise in education, and an 8.2% rise in conservation 

and development. 

     State and local construction rose 0.6% in the month. Federal 

construction was also up 2.5%. 

     ** MNI Washington Bureau: 202-371-2121 ** 

[TOPICS: MAUDS$,M$U$$$,MAUDR$,MT$$$$]