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Construction spending fell in May, weighed down by interest rates

Jul 2, 2024
Even massive government spending hasn't been enough to counteract the downturn.
Government-funded construction of infrastructure is doing fine, unlike the residential sector.
Patrick T. Fallon/AFP via Getty Images

The Fed might cut interest rates soon. That's weighing on business owners' plans.

Jan 2, 2024
Do they wait for lower rates in the future or borrow what they need today? It’s a question of cost versus opportunity.
Some construction projects have been paused or postponed until interest rates fall, said John Kirk, a developer in San Antonio.
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Fueled by federal dollars, commercial construction is booming

May 1, 2023
The resilience of this usually interest rate-sensitive sector makes the Fed’s goal of taming inflation that much harder.
Federal dollars dedicated semiconductor chip manufacturing and battery production is helping lift construction worker wages.
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Manufacturers have been spending a lot on construction

Apr 3, 2023
Construction in the manufacturing sector has been booming over the last year, thanks in part to Federal encouragement. That said, the U.S. economy still relies on foreign manufacturing.
Fresh data shows another increase in construction spending amid an ongoing boom in the industry.
Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

Higher mortgage rates could make the housing supply problem worse

Apr 1, 2022
Homebuilders already face higher prices for materials. More expensive loans could affect construction for years.
The Federal Reserve's interest rate policy is upping the cost of home construction and could constrict future inventory.
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Facing shortages of construction materials and labor, builders try to be flexible

Aug 2, 2021
Often that means negotiating what gets done when.
Everything from worker shortage to material prices have forced builders to adapt.
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Facing "grim" outlook, construction industry awaits Biden infrastructure plan

Feb 1, 2021
The new administration is expected to unveil a $2 trillion proposal this month.
Construction workers at a project in New York City. Over the past four years, the industry has been frustrated by infrastructure-spending promises that never materialized.
Eduardo Munoz Alvarez/Getty Images

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COVID recession puts damper on large construction projects

Nov 17, 2020
The Houston area lost the most construction jobs of any big city over the last year.
A worker directs traffic as construction takes place on a new tower in New York City in March.
Eduardo Munoz Alvarez/Getty Images

Does a dip in construction spending indicate an economic slowdown?

Aug 1, 2019
Construction spending fell more than a percentage point in June, the second drop in two months.
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