(ANSA) - Rome, December 17 - Construction spending fell by 6.9% in 2013 compared with the previous year, while the number of bankruptcies has increased, an industry group said Tuesday. That is worse than the 5.6% drop previously forecast, said the Italian construction association Ance. Since the global economic crisis began in 2008, jobs in construction have fallen by 10.4% with about 480,000 positions lost, according to Ance. As well, about 12,600 companies - roughly one in four - have fallen into bankruptcy, the group said.