April nonres starts to improve.

ABI slumps, but hotel boom goes on.

While Reed says starts fall, retailers retrench

Contractors see weaker conditions as steel jumps yet again.

Construction spending slipped 0.3 percent in February to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $1.12 billion.

Steel hikes proliferate; McGraw-Hill starts rise.

Several commodities used in construction continue to rise rapidly in price, including diesel fuel, natural gas, copper and steel.

Nonfarm payroll employment fell 63,000 in February (seasonally adjusted), resulting in a 12-month increase of only 0.6%, the weakest growth in four years, the Bureau of Labor Statistics recently reported.

McGraw-Hill starts increase but other signs weaken.

Manufacturing capacity is estimated to increase 2.1% in 2008.