US Construction Spending Rose 0.9% in August 2026
Total construction spending reached $2.2 trillion in August 2026, up 0.9% from a revised July figure, Census Bureau data show.
U.S. construction spending climbed to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $2,203.1 billion in August 2026, a 0.9 percent increase from the revised July 2026 estimate of $2,184.5 billion, according to data released by the U.S. Census Bureau's Economic Briefing Room.
The monthly gain reverses a marginal pullback recorded in July, when spending edged down 0.1 percent. The August figure suggests renewed momentum in construction activity after that slight contraction in the prior month.
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The Census Bureau noted that the August monthly change carries a margin of error of plus or minus 1.0 percentage point, meaning the reported 0.9 percent gain is statistically indistinguishable from flat at the 90 percent confidence level — a caveat that analysts typically weigh when interpreting month-to-month construction data.
Construction spending is a closely watched indicator of broader economic activity, reflecting investment across residential, nonresidential, and public-sector building projects. Revisions to prior months, as seen with the July figure, are routine in Census Bureau construction releases and can materially shift trend readings.
Continue reading at U.S. Census Bureau Economic Briefing Room.
