The value of construction put-in-place fell 0.8% (+1.1% y/y) during October following a 0.3% September decline, revised from +0.5%. August's 1.1% increase was revised from -0.3%. A 0.4% October rise had been expected in the Action Economics Forecast Survey.

Private construction declined 1.0% (-1.8% y/y) after falling 1.1% in September. Residential building activity fell 0.9% (+0.5% y/y). A 4.5% decline (+8.2% y/y) in home improvements dragged residential building activity lower. It followed a 4.7% September drop, Single-family building increased 1.6% (-3.1% y/y) while multi-family construction fell 1.6% (-2.1% y/y), down significantly for the third straight month.

Nonresidential construction declined 1.2% (-4.3% y/y) with commercial building off 2.4% (-17.7% y/y). Office building eased 0.2% (+1.0% y/y) while communication construction fell 1.9% (-3.2% y/y). Construction of power facilities declined 1.3% (+3.6% y/y).

Public construction eased 0.2% (+10.2% y/y) in October. Construction of highways and streets, the largest category accounting for nearly one-third of public sector building activity, declined 2.2% (+8.4% y/y). Education construction, the second largest category, rose 2.5% (9.8% y/y). Office building improved 0.8% (16.5% y/y), but transportation building eased 0.6% (+13.0% y/y).

The construction spending figures, some of which date back to 1946, are in Haver's USECON database. The expectations reading can be found in the AS1REPNA database.