Data has begun seeping out of US federal agencies again after the longest shutdown in history, and the picture for August – the latest month for which numbers are available – shows year-on-year construction spending declines in 10 of 16 non-residential categories, according to an analysis of government data by employers body, the Associated General Contractors of America (AGC).
The group called for clarity on tariffs to ease costs, and measures to ease the worsening labour shortage.
Private nonresidential spending overall slipped 0.3% from July, and fell 4.0% year-on-year.
Manufacturing construction was down 1.0% from July and 8.5% down from August 2024.
Commercial construction was unchanged from July but fell by 8.9% year-on-year.
Multifamily construction was up 0.2% in August but declined 7.1% from a year earlier.
Private residential spending increased 0.8% in August, but fell 2.0% compared to August 2024.
And then there’s the data centres
In stark contrast, spending on data centres in August rose 26% from last August.
Power construction declined 0.2% on the month, but rose 2.1% year-on-year, perhaps in response to off-the-scale demand for power-hungry data centres.
Overall, August construction spending inched up 0.2% from July, but settled 1.6% below August 2024.
AGC officials noted industry concern.
“Private and public sector construction owners are clearly being impacted by uncertainty about federal funding, material prices, and labour supply,” said Macrina Wilkins, the association’s senior research analyst.
“The question is whether the reopening of the government will lead to a future bump in demand for construction.”
AGC again urged the Trump administration to “resolve outstanding trade disputes with countries like Canada and Mexico” to provide clarity on tariffs, and to promote the bipartisan Essential Workers for Economic Advancement Act, which would give 65,000 visas to migrant workers for sectors, like construction, that are facing acute skills shortages.
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