by Calculated Risk on 10/01/2019 11:18:00 AM

From the Census Bureau reported that overall construction spending increased slightly in August:

Construction spending during August 2019 was estimated at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $1,287.3 billion, 0.1 percent above the revised July estimate of $1,285.6 billion. The August figure is 1.9 percent below the August 2018 estimate of $1,312.2 billion.
emphasis added

Private spending decreased and public spending increased:

Spending on private construction was at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $955.0 billion, nearly the same as the revised July estimate of $954.8 billion. ...

In August, the estimated seasonally adjusted annual rate of public construction spending was $332.3 billion, 0.4 percent above the revised July estimate of $330.8 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 25% below the bubble peak.

Non-residential spending is 8% above the previous peak in January 2008 (nominal dollars).

Public construction spending is 2% above the previous peak in March 2009, and 27% 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 5%. Non-residential spending is down 3% year-over-year. Public spending is up 5% year-over-year.

This was slightly below consensus expectations. Another somewhat weak construction spending report.