by Calculated Risk on 10/01/2015 11:07:00 AM

The Census Bureau reported that overall construction spending increased in August:

The U.S. Census Bureau of the Department of Commerce announced today that construction spending during August 2015 was estimated at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $1,086.2 billion, 0.7 percent above the revised July estimate of $1,079.1 billion. The August figure is 13.7 percent above the August 2014 estimate of $955.0 billion.

Both private spending and public spending increased:

Spending on private construction was at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $788.0 billion, 0.7 percent above the revised July estimate of $782.3 billion. ...

In August, the estimated seasonally adjusted annual rate of public construction spending was $298.2 billion, 0.5 percent above the revised July estimate of $296.8 billion.
emphasis added

Note: Non-residential for offices and hotels is generally increasing, but spending for oil and gas has been declining. Early in the recovery, there was a surge in non-residential spending for oil and gas (because oil prices increased), but now, with falling prices, oil and gas is a drag on overall construction spending.

As an example, construction spending for private lodging is up 43% year-over-year, whereas spending for power (includes oil and gas) construction peaked in mid-2014 and is down 9% year-over-year.

Click on graph for larger image.

This graph shows private residential and nonresidential construction spending, and public spending, since 1993. Note: nominal dollars, not inflation adjusted.

Private residential spending has been increasing, but is 44% below the bubble peak.

Non-residential spending is only 3% below the peak in January 2008 (nominal dollars).

Public construction spending is now 9% below the peak in March 2009 and about 12% above the post-recession low.

The second graph shows the year-over-year change in construction spending.

On a year-over-year basis, private residential construction spending is up 16%. Non-residential spending is up 17% year-over-year. Public spending is up 7% year-over-year.

Looking forward, all categories of construction spending should increase this year and in 2016. Residential spending is still very low, non-residential is increasing (except oil and gas), and public spending has also increasing after several years of austerity.

This was at the consensus forecast of a 0.7% increase, however spending for June and July were revised down.  Overall, another solid construction report.