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In its second-quarter construction outlook report, management and investment consultancy FMI Corporation predicts that total engineering and construction spending in 2019 will increase just 1%, compared to the 4% rise seen in 2018 and 2017. The report shows that spending growth in 2019 is expected to be led by public investment across both nonresidential buildings and nonresidential structures. Current top-performing segments forecast in 2019 include conservation and development (+9 percent), transportation (+8 percent), water supply (+8 percent), public safety (+7 percent), office (+6 percent), and highway and street (+6 percent). Forecast bottom-performing segments in 2019 include religious (-6 percent), single-family residential (-5 percent) and residential improvements (-4 percent). Only one segment, sewage and waste disposal, was upgraded into our growth category through the second half of 2019. Conversely, educational and manufacturing have both been downgraded from growth to stable. Last, both single family residential and residential improvements have now been downgraded from stable to down. All three residential segments are now expected to end this year lower than 2018 spending levels. Read FMI's Construction Outlook Second Quarter Report here.