Steel Markets
Construction Spending Rises 0.1% in December
Written by Sandy Williams
February 4, 2014
Construction spending inched up 0.1 percent in December and picked up a modest 4.8 percent for all of 2013. Apartments and single-family homes offset declines in private nonresidential and public projects, according to US Census Bureau data analyzed by the Associated General Contractors of America (AGC).
The AGC reported: “Construction put in place totaled $930 billion in December, 0.9 percent higher than the November total, which was revised down $5 billion from the initial estimate. For 2013 as a whole, spending was 4.8 percent above the 2012 level, a slowing from the 9 percent gain that year. Private residential construction spending increased by 2.6 percent in December and jumped 18 percent for all of 2013. Private nonresidential spending dipped 0.7 percent for the month and 0.4 percent for the full year. Public construction spending dropped 2.3 percent for the month and 2.8 percent for the year.”
Expansion of activity in the oil and gas sector should boost construction for private nonresidential building. Ken Simonson, the association’s chief economist, commented, “Many regions will experience more work on pipelines, railroads, manufacturing plants, and even fueling facilities for trucks and buses that convert to natural gas. In addition, communities in the drilling areas will get more housing, hotels and retail projects. As a result, private nonresidential spending should grow at a 6-10 percent rate in 2014 overall.”
Private residential construction, particularly single-family housing, is expected to slow in growth but increase overall by 10 percent in 2014. Public construction spending, says Simonson, will match or be below 2013 levels.
Infrastructure construction, such as highway and streets, grew 1.8 percent in December and was up by 1.0 percent for the full year. But AGC warns that federal funding for highway and transit projects may drop when the law supporting projects expires in September. AGC encourages Congress to act on legislation to authorize river, harbor and flood-control infrastructure.
Sandy Williams
Read more from Sandy WilliamsLatest in Steel Markets
HVAC shipments slip in September but are still trending higher
Following a strong August, total heating and cooling equipment shipments eased in September to a five-month low, according to the latest data from the Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute (AHRI).
GrafTech Q3 loss widens as electrode demand remains soft
GrafTech International’s third-quarter net loss increased from last year, with the company anticipating continuing weakness in near-term demand for graphite electrodes.
Cliffs forecasts 2025 rebound after Q3’s weakest demand since Covid
The negative impact of high interest rates on consumer behavior, particularly in the automotive and housing sectors, was the primary driver of the demand weakness seen across the third quarter, according to Cleveland-Cliffs executives.
Primetals secures long-term maintenance deals in the Americas
Primetals Technologies renewed two long-term maintenance service contracts with steel producers in the Americas.
Steel imports slip 10% from August to September
September marked the lowest month for steel imports so far this year, according to preliminary Census data released by the Commerce Department.