AP - Consumers shrugged off higher gasoline prices in April and sent a widely watched barometer of consumer confidence to its highest level in almost four years, a private research group said Tuesday.

Reuters - Diversified conglomerate Ingersoll-Rand Co. Ltd. on Friday said its first-quarter profit rose 13.5 percent on demand for small construction equipment and security technology, and raised its full-year forecast.

Reuters - The pace of U.S. housing construction slowed more than expected in March as both the rate of starts and permits declined to their lowest levels in a year, the government said on Tuesday in a report suggesting further cooling in the market.

China Construction Bank Corp., one of the country's largest state banks, denied a newspaper report on Monday that it is in early talks with Bear Stearns Cos. that could lead to it taking a minority stake in the Wall Street investment bank....

Reuters - China Construction Bank Corp. (0939.HK), one of the country's largest state banks, denied on Monday a newspaper report it is in early talks with Bear Stearns Cos. that could lead to its taking a minority stake in the Wall Street securities firm.

Singapore announced it would create underground rock caverns on Jurong Island to house and support its ever-expanding chemicals and petrochemicals operations. According to Channel News Asia, construction is set to commence...

AP - H&R Block Inc. said it saw a 5.4 percent increase in the number of income tax customers during the second half of March, and estimated 30 percent of taxpayers had yet to file their income tax forms for the year.

Hector Duarte Jr. - AHN Staff Reporter Montevideo, Uruguay (AHN) – The World Bank will withhold $400 million for the construction of two controversial Uruguayan paper mills. It says it will do so to allow further investigation into the potential environmental impact the facilities will...

Reuters - Engineering and construction company Shaw Group Inc. on Monday said its profit for the fiscal second quarter nearly tripled on strength across sectors, particularly environmental and infrastructure.

UK airports group BAA rejects a £8.75bn ($15.2bn) bid from Spanish construction group Ferrovial. In a statement, BAA said the offer was "at the same price that the board has already emphatically rejected as not beginning to reflect the true...

Reuters - New claims for U.S. jobless aid unexpectedly fell 5,000 last week and longer-term unemployment slid in late March to its lowest level in more than five years, a government report showed on Thursday.

Reuters - U.S. manufacturing growth moderated in March and February data released on Monday showed an unexpectedly large spike in construction spending but a drop in pending home sales.

AP - Construction spending rose to a record level in February as home building hit an all-time high despite a weakening in home sales, the government said Monday.

Reuters - U.S. construction spending rose 0.8 percent in February, double expectations, as private residential spending surged 1.3 percent to a record high, offsetting a drop in public construction, a government report showed on Monday.

Reuters - Home Depot Inc. on Friday said it had completed its $3.2 billion acquisition of construction materials supplier Hughes Supply Inc. , stepping up the home improvement retailer's move into professional markets.

Reuters - Nokia aims to be the clear number two in the construction of mobile telecommunication networks behind Ericsson , a senior executive was quoted as saying on Saturday.

Reuters - Wal-Mart Stores Inc. is recalling about 643,000 rocking chairs after reports that poor construction and over-curvature of the their runners caused 45 injuries, U.S. regulators said.

Reuters - The pace of U.S. housing construction slowed in February as permits, starts and completions fell, the government said on Thursday in a report pointing to moderation after a five-year rally in the housing market.

AP - The five-year housing boom is indeed over, judging from growing statistical evidence and the performance of some of the nation's leading builders, and the slowdown is already rippling through the economy.

Reuters - Construction of homes in the United States soared in January to the highest in nearly 33 years thanks to mild winter weather, the government said on Thursday in a report showing unexpected strength in housing.