REPEAT: MNI DATA ANALYSIS: US Nov Construction Spending +0.8%>

Repeats Story Initially Transmitted at 13:30 GMT Jan 3/08:30 EST Jan 3

--Residential Excluding New Homes +0.7%; New Homes +1.3%

--Total Private Spending Up 1.0%; Public Rises 0.2%

By Holly Stokes and Sara Haire

     WASHINGTON (MNI) - Construction spending was up 0.8% in November, 

slightly above the expected 0.7% gain, mainly due to the 1.0% gain in 

private construction spending, data released by the Commerce Department 

Wednesday morning showed. 

     Public construction spending saw a soft 0.2% gain in November 

following a 3.5% and 2.5% increase in October and September, 

respectively. 

     Analysts had expected construction spending to rise 0.7%, adding to 

a 1.4% rise in October. With the latest data, October construction was 

revised down to a 0.9% increase, but September spending was revised 

sharply up to a 1.3% increase from the 0.3% rise previously reported. 

     Private residential construction spending was up 1.0% in the month, 

but total new home building rose 1.3% based on an MNI calculation. 

Single-family building rose 1.9%, offsetting a 1.3% decline in  

multi-family building. Residential construction excluding new homes, 

which captures remodelling was up 0.7% based on an MNI calculation. This 

followed a 0.3% rise in October. 

     Private nonresidential construction was up 0.9% in November after 

declines in four of the last five months, with September posting the 

only gain. There were increases in all categories except for 

communication, power, and manufacturing 

     The soft 0.2% rise in public construction comes after strong gains 

in the previous three months. Federal spending fell 4.8% after a strong 

11.3% gain in October, while state and local building rose 0.7% in the 

month. 

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