Outlays for U.S. construction projects rose 0.2% in March to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $942.5 billion, led by private residential projects, the U.S. Commerce Department reported today. Economists had expected a 0.6% increase in March. Looking at private projects, spending rose 0.8% on residential construction, and 0.2% on nonresidential projects. For public projects, spending fell 6.6% for residential construction and 0.5% for nonresidential construction.