Barely beginning to emerge from the most devastating housing downturn since the Great Depression, home builders in the early months of this year have been confronted by a significant run-up in lumber prices. For the week ending on Feb. 19, the Random...

Construction spending in January fell by $5.5 billion to $884 billion, its lowest level since June 2003, according to an analysis of new federal figures by the Associated General Contractors of America. Declining investments in private-sector...