Australia Building Capex Rises 2.3% in Q4

Private new capital expenditure on buildings and structures in Australia increased 2.3% quarter-on-quarter in the three months to December 2025, quickening from a 2.1% rise in Q3 and marking the strongest expansion since Q2 2023. By industry, spending on buildings and structures posted the largest gains in arts and recreation services (30.3%), administrative and support services (25%), construction (15.8%), professional, scientific and technical services (14.4%) and electricity, gas, water and waste services (8.5%). Tom Lay, head of business statistics at the Australian Bureau of Statistics, said the increase in overall investment was driven by strength in buildings and structures, particularly renewable energy projects. He added that this was partly offset by a decline in equipment and machinery spending, following record-high investment in data centers during the previous quarter.

Private new capital expenditure on buildings and structures in Australia rose by 2.1% QoQ in Q3 2025, accelerating from a 0.2% gain in Q2 to the fastest pace in a year. Non-mining industries saw a 3.6% increase, partially offset by a 0.4% decline in mining-related investments. By industry, capital expenditure on buildings and structures recorded the largest gains in wholesale trade (30.5%), accommodation & food services (22.4%), construction (16.4%), manufacturing (15.1%) and administrative & support services (14.8%). Tom Lay, ABS head of business statistics, said: “Spending on large projects in manufacturing, accommodation and food services, and information media and telecommunications industries, drove growth in buildings and structures.” On an annual basis, spending on buildings and structures climbed by 4.3% in Q3.

Private new capital expenditure on buildings and structures in Australia rose by 0.2% q-o-q in Q2 2025, slowing from an upwardly revised 1.0% growth in Q1. Non-mining industries saw a 1.4% increase, partially offset by a 1.6% decline in mining-related investment. By industry, capital expenditure on buildings and structures recorded the largest gains in construction (35.6%), professional, scientific & technical services (20.1%), and financial and insurance services (13.2%). “The growth in non-mining buildings and structures was driven by spending on large projects in transport, postal and warehousing, information media and telecommunications, and manufacturing,” said Robert Ewing, Head of Business Statistics at the ABS. The largest rises for states and territories were in Victoria (7.0%) and New South Wales (2.4%). The largest falls were in Queensland (-4.8%) and South Australia (-3.5%). Yearly, spending on buildings and structures climbed by 4.3% in Q2, after a revised 0.6% rise in Q1