The value of US construction for the 12 months to the end of May 2012 totalled USD 830 billion - the highest since December 2009. The figure was also up +7.0% compared to a year ago and was a +0.9% increase on April 2012. The gains compared to 2011 were slightly higher in the non-residential segment, which increased +7.4%. However, a +2.9% rise in residential activity from April saw this sub-sector go up +6.2% in May compared to the position in May 2011. Publicly funded construction dropped -3.9% compared to last year to USD 269 billion, with the most significant decrease regarding the residential sector. In contrast, privately funded construction increased +13.1% year-on-year, thanks particularly to surges in multi-family residential building, lodging, educational, manufacturing and power infrastructure construction. The private non-residential sector, at almost USD 300 billion, was up +18.6% from a year ago.
