WASHINGTON U.S. construction spending surged in April, boosted by investment in nonresidential structures, but higher mortgage rates continued to depress single-family homebuilding.

The Commerce Department said on Thursday that construction spending jumped 1.2% after rising 0.3% in March.

Economists polled by Reuters had forecast construction spending climbing 0.2%. Construction spending shot up 7.2% on a year-on-year basis in April.

Spending on private construction projects increased 1.3%. Outlays on private non-residential structures like gas and oil well drilling soared 2.4%.

Investment in residential construction rose 0.5%. A 0.8% drop in spending on single-family housing projects was offset by a 0.6% rise in outlays on multi-family housing projects.

Spending on public construction projects jumped 1.1%.

(Reporting by Lucia Mutikani; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama)