Total construction starts last year advanced 1 percent to $676.5 billion, a considerably smaller gain than the 11 percent increase reported for 2015, according to Dodge Data & Analytics, New York. If the volatile manufacturing plant and electric utility/gas plant categories are excluded, total 2016 construction starts would be up 4 percent, depicting a more gradual deceleration relative to the corresponding 9 percent increase in 2015.
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