Shipments of finished portland cement in Hawai'i fell less than the national average in August, according to U.S. Geological Survey figures reported by Bloomberg News.

There were 35,040 metric tons of the cement shipped in August in Hawai'i, or 14.1 percent less than a year earlier. Meanwhile shipments declined 21.7 percent nationally for the month.

Portland cement shipments are thought to be an indicator of construction activity.