U.S. CONSTRUCTION SPENDING ROSE 1.0 PCT IN FEB
U.S. construction spending rose 3.6
billion dlrs, or 1.0 pct, in February to a seasonally adjusted
rate of 378.4 billion dlrs, the Commerce Department said.
    Spending in January fell a revised 3.7 billion dlrs, or 1.0
pct, to 374.8 billion dlrs, the department said.
    Previously, it said spending rose 1.0 pct in January.
    February construction spending was 4.5 billion dlrs, or 1.2
pct above the February 1986, total of 373.9 billion dlrs.
    Residential construction spending fell in February to an
annual rate of 179.4 billion dlrs from 181.5 billion dlrs in
January.
    Public construction outlays rose for a fourth successive
month to 78 billion dlrs in February from 75.1 billion dlrs in
January and were 9.7 billion dlrs, or 14.2 pct, higher than the
February, 1986, estimate of 68.3 billion dlrs, the department
said.
    Public spending on highways was up in February to 23.3
billion dlrs from an annual rate in January of 22.7 billion
dlrs.
    In constant dollars, February construction outlays rose 2.3
billion dlrs from January levels to an annual rate of 341.3
billion dlrs, the department said.
 Reuter
