New construction starts across the country were down 3 percent in February from the previous month.

But much of that, according to Dodge Data and Analytics, is due to the normal fluctuations of the nonbuilding construction sector comprised of public works and utilities. In this category, new starts dropped 23 percent in February from January, according to the firm’s most recent report, while nonresidential building starts actually rose 5 percent during the same period.

Further, total construction starts during the first two months of 2018 are down 7 percent from the same period in 2017, Dodge reported. But on a 12-month basis, total construction starts for the 12 months ending in February 2018 were actually up 2 percent.

Some factors that could be harbingers of further declines include President Trump’s recently enacted tariffs on steel (25 percent) and aluminum (10 percent) imports. However, the tariffs are reported suspended until May 1 for imports from Canada, Mexico, Argentina, Brazil, Australia, South Korea and member countries of the European Union.

In addition, prices are continuing to rise for other materials, including softwood products, which last fall saw a 21 percent tariff added to products from Canada.

“Today’s report only reflects prices charged as of mid-February,” Ken Simonson, Associated General Contractors‘ chief economist, told 91��Ƶ publication The Daily Reporter. “Since then, producers of steel and concrete have implemented or announced substantial additional increases, and the huge tariffs the president has imposed will make steel, aluminum and many products that incorporate those metals even more expensive.”

Residential building in 2018 has increased 10 percent from a year ago, with single-family up 6 percent and multifamily up 19 percent.

Geographically, Dodge reported, total construction starts for the first two months of 2018 compared with the previous year are up 13 percent in the Midwest, unchanged in the South Atlantic, down 12 percent in the South Central U.S., down 15 percent across the West and down 17 percent in the Northeast.

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