Construction Spending Rises 0.1%

Construction spending rose 0.1% in April, for a third straight monthly increase, the Commerce Department said Thursday.

The uptick followed a revised 0.6% rise in March that was more than the 0.2% originally reported.

The increase topped economists’ forecasts of no change in spending levels, Bloomberg reported.

Private residential construction fell 1% for a second straight month. Private non-residential spending rose 1.5%, while public construction — led by schools, hospitals and highways — rose 0.7%.

Construction spending can boost demand for trucking services because spending increases the number of shipments of goods and building materials.