Summary: Construction spending up 0.1%, less than expected; up 1.2% from June 2023 quarter; Westpac: construction project pipeline received significant boost from latest government budgets; ACGB yields increase; rate-cut expectations soften; Westpac: sector faces difficulties from skilled labour shortages, elevated material costs; residential sector down 0.1%, non-residential building down 0.5%, engineering up 1.5%. Construction expenditure increased substantially in Australia in the early part of last decade following a more-steady expansion...