In April, the construction industry witnessed a significant surge in project groundbreakings, marking the largest increase of the year, as reported by Dodge Construction Network. Total construction starts rebounded by 6% to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $1.06 trillion, reversing the previous two months' decline. Richard Branch, the chief economist for Dodge Construction Network, highlighted that the boost in starts was primarily driven by the stability in labor and material prices. Despite concerns regarding the uncertain timing of Federal interest rate cuts, developers and owners expressed confidence in the sustainability of project starts in several sectors. Noteworthy projects that broke ground in April include the $3.7 billion UC Davis Medical Center, the $1.8 billion Linde Blue Hydrogen plant, and the $1 billion Scout Motors electric vehicle plant. The construction sector's performance over the past 12 months showed a 2% increase in total construction starts, with varying trends in nonresidential, residential, and nonbuilding sectors. Nonresidential building starts saw a notable 17% increase, particularly in manufacturing projects, while nonbuilding construction groundbreakings rose by 4%, driven by a significant jump in environmental public works. Despite a slight monthly decline, residential building starts were up by 22% year-to-date. Branch anticipated stability in construction projects in the upcoming months, especially as interest rates are expected to decrease later in the year, creating a favorable environment for construction acceleration.