Dodge Data & Analytics, New York, has reported construction starts dropped 21% in December 2019. Total construction starts in December 2019 were unchanged compared with December 2018.
“Last year will go down as one of the most volatile years for monthly construction starts due to the lumpy nature of large projects,” says Richard Branch, chief economist for Dodge Data & Analytics. “Looking beyond the influence of these massive projects, it is evident that the uncertainty surrounding trade policy weighed on construction activity last year.”
Nonresidential building construction decreased 20% in December 2019 in large part because manufacturing declined 93%. Commercial construction starts climbed 5% in December 2019, and institutional starts rose 6%.
Residential building construction fell 4% in December 2019. Single-family housing dropped 7%, and multifamily construction rose 1%.
Nonbuilding construction decreased 41% in December 2019.
During 2019, nonresidential building was down 1% compared with 2018. Residential building decreased 3%, and nonbuilding construction rose 7%.
