Construction spending slides in Europe

BRUSSELS, Nov. 17 (UPI) -- The European Union's statistical office Eurostat said construction spending fell 1.3 percent in the eurozone in September compared with August.

The eurozone designates the 17 member states that use the euro as currency. In the full European Union, comprised of 27 member states, construction was down by 1 percent month-to-month, Eurostat said.

From a year earlier, construction outlays rose by 0.4 percent in the eurozone and 0.6 percent in the 27-member European Union.

In a state-by-state comparison, Eurostat said construction spending fell sharpest in France, down 5.8 percent, followed by Portugal, down 5.1 percent.

Construction spending rose the highest in Slovenia, jumping 7.8 percent, followed by a Poland, where spending on construction projects rose 4.1 percent.