Commercial construction spending could decline

Spending on commercial construction, which remained high as the housing market slowed, may be headed for a decline. Spending remained flat throughout November and December, and economists say it could begin to drop soon. Already, retailers such as Starbucks have scaled back new store openings, and demand for office developments has fallen off. On the bright side, private educational spending remains strong as schools continue to expand. A slowdown would dampen demand for construction materials, which rapidly increased during the boom.