OTHER NEWS - Jan. 29, 1992

Construction Contracts Rose Last Month: The value of new U.S. construction contracts inched up 2% in December, leaving the fourth quarter at the highest level of the year, the F. W. Dodge Division of McGraw-Hill’s Construction Information Group said. Despite quarter-by-quarter improvement in 1991, the year’s total new construction starts at $226.8 billion was down 8% from 1990, the group said. The Dodge index of construction contract value, which uses a 1982 base of 100, climbed to a seasonally adjusted 148 in December from 145 in November. The fourth quarter average of 148 was slightly higher than the third quarter’s average of 147, the report said.