MNI: US DEC CONSTRUCT SPENDING +0.3%

* MNI: US DEC CONSTRUCT SPENDING +0.3% * US DEC PRIVATE CONSTRUCT SPENDING +0.5% * US DEC PUBLIC CONSTRUCT SPENDING -0.5%

MNI: US DEC CONSTRUCTION SPENDING +0.3%

* MNI: US DEC CONSTRUCTION SPENDING +0.3%

US DATA: MNI Chicago Report™: Over Half Think A.I. Will Change Skill Importance

In February, the Chicago Report also asked firms "Will A.I. and technology changes shift which skills are most important in 2026?" * 39% of respondents answered yes - but skill changes will be moderate, while 36% thought no - skill importance will stay about the same. * 19% of respondents said yes - some skills will be more/much more in demand, and 6% were unsure. * Some respondents highlighted that A.I. could impact the importance of skills such as communication, strategic thinking and problem solving, others noted that they do not yet see AI making a significant impact in their current processes.

US DATA: MNI Chicago Report™: Mix of Strategies Employed to Manage Inventories

In February, the Chicago Report asked firms "How is your business currently handling inventory across the supply chain?" * Almost half of respondents (49%) said they were aligning inventory planning closely with forecasts and production, while 40% reported using real-time visibility tools across the supply chain. * 23% reported maintaining higher safety stock to protect against supply chain disruptions, while 20% said they were managing inventory reactively with limited coordination across the supply chain. * 11% of respondents reported they were using none of the above, while 9% said they were using other strategies. * Respondents noted using a mixture of the strategies above, as well as diversifying suppliers to manage inventory across the supply chain.