Construction was up slightly in November.

The value of new construction contracts rose 1% in November from the previous month, partly because of a surge in non-residential building, according to a survey by the F. W. Dodge division of McGraw-Hill Information Systems Co. The survey indicated that contracting for all new construction rose to an annual rate of $241.4 billion from $238.9 billion in October. Non-residential building surged to $87.4 billion from $73.1 billion the previous month.