by Calculated Risk on 6/03/2019 11:59:00 AM

From the Census Bureau reported that overall construction spending was mostly unchanged in April:

Construction spending during April 2019 was estimated at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $1,298.5 billion, nearly the same as the revised March estimate of $1,299.2 billion. The April figure is 1.2 percent below the April 2018 estimate of $1,314.7 billion.

Private spending decreased and public spending increased:

Spending on private construction was at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $954.0 billion, 1.7 percent below the revised March estimate of $970.4 billion. ...

In April, the estimated seasonally adjusted annual rate of public construction spending was $344.6 billion, 4.8 percent above the revised March estimate of $328.7 billion.
emphasis added

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 had been increasing - but turned down in the 2nd half of 2018 - and is now 26% below the bubble peak.

Non-residential spending is 10% above the previous peak in January 2008 (nominal dollars).

Public construction spending is 6% above the previous peak in March 2009, and 32% above the austerity low in February 2014.

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

On a year-over-year basis, private residential construction spending is down 11%. Non-residential spending is up slightly year-over-year. Public spending is up 15% year-over-year.

This was below consensus expectations, however spending for February and March  were revised up (mostly public spending).