The report shows that December 2005 construction spending was at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $1.161 billion. In addition to being one percent higher than November, the December figure is 8.1 percent above the December 2004 estimate of $1.028 billion. The value of construction spending is 2005 was $1.2 billion, 8.9 percent above the $1.028 billion spent in 2004.

Spending on private construction was at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $904.3 billion, 1.1 percent above the revised November estimate of $894.8 billion. Residential construction was at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $648.9 billion in December, one percent above the revised November estimate of $642.6 billion. Nonresidential construction was at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $255.4 billion in December, 1.3 percent above the revised November estimate of $252.2 billion.

In December, the estimated seasonally adjusted annual rate of public construction spending was $256.3 billion, 0.7 percent above the revised November estimate of $254.5 billion. Educational construction was at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $68 billion, 1.5 percent above the revised November estimate of $67 billion. Highway construction was at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $68.9 billion, 0.6 percent below the revised November estimate of $69.3 billion.