'99 nonresidential spending will grow.

As we begin a new year, it should be instructive to review recent construction spending trends in a number of important nonresidential construction sectors and to venture an educated guess about what's in store for 1999.

Total nonresidential construction spending in the United States expanded by a scant 0.6% during 1998, following a strong 9.4% increase the year before. This coming year looks marginally better -- we're forecasting that total spending on new commercial/industrial/institutional work will expand by about 2.2% -- but gains will be generally more subdued th