July Construction Drop Largest In 6 months

Construction activity plunged in July by the biggest amount in six months as spending on homes fell for a record 17th straight month.

The Commerce Department reported Tuesday that construction spending dropped 0.4 percent in July, compared with June, the weakest showing since a 0.6 percent fall in January.

It was a bigger drop than economists had been expecting and underscored the continued drag the severe slump in housing is having on building activity.

The worst is yet to come in the housing market as more families are forced into foreclosure and the glut of homes on the market grows. The more that grows the less construction activity will be needed. This will cause layoffs in the construction industry and and other industries connected to the housing market. I still think the worst is yet to come and that the housing market will not see significant improvement until the affordability index comes back to reasonable levels.

The lower and middle classes are hurting as a result of the housing bubble and the pain will continue to be felt until after the Presidential election.