In a new analysis of U.S. Census Bureau data by the Associated Builders and Contractors, national nonresidential construction spending decreased 0.3% in April to a seasonally adjusted total of $1.20 trillion. It follows March's slight increase of 0.2%.

Spending fell on a monthly basis in 10 of the 16 nonresidential subcategories. Private nonresidential spending decreased 0.3%, and public nonresidential construction spending was down 0.2% in April.

“Nonresidential construction spending fell for the second consecutive month in April but remains just 0.3% below the all-time high established in February,” said ABC’s Chief Economist Anirban Basu. “An unprecedented increase in manufacturing construction spending has pushed overall nonresidential activity 31.9% higher over the past two years. Ongoing investment in industrial facilities as well as significant infrastructure-related outlays will keep nonresidential spending elevated despite the current expectation that interest rates will stay higher for longer. This outlook is reflected in ABC’s Construction Confidence Index, which shows that a majority of contractors expect their sales to increase over the next two quarters.”

ABC's recent analysis of construction input price data for the month can also be found here.