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In some good news, an Institute for Supply Management survey released on Monday showed U.S. manufacturing activity reaching its highest level in more than a year, according to .

• The index of national factory activity reached 54.2 in July—up from 52.6 in June. A reading above 50 indicates growth.
• New orders increased to 61.5 from 56.4 in June—the highest since September 2018.

But don’t break out the party hats yet. The resurgence in COVID-19 across the United States could halt manufacturers in their tracks, which is why face coverings and other precautions remain critical.

Meanwhile, we’re seeing a reduction in construction spending, which dropped 0.7% in June after decreasing 1.7% in May. More discouraging numbers included the following:

• 0.7% drop in spending on private construction
• 1.5% loss in spending on residential projects
• 0.7% drop in spending on public construction projects

51�Թ��� Chief Economist Chad Moutray has the numbers for manufacturers: “After declining for six straight months, private manufacturing construction spending rose 1.7% from $70.86 billion in May to $72.07 billion in June.”

Related: In another milestone, New York City retail rent fell below $700 for the first time since 2011, according to . With fewer people shopping in retail environments, rents are dropping, and retail stores are reevaluating the way they serve the public.