Construction Material Prices Rebound in September, Says ABC

WASHINGTON, Oct. 10—Prices for inputs to construction rose 0.3 percent in September and are 7.4 percent higher than a year ago, according to an Associated Builders and Contractors analysis of U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data released today. Overall prices for nonresidential construction inputs rose 0.4 percent, reversing last month’s downward trend. Among individual subcategories, softwood lumber prices are down 0.4 percent, yet are up 5.4 percent on a year-over-year basis. Crude petroleum and natural gas prices are both up on a monthly basis, 8.7 and 1.1 percent, respectively.  Read the rest of entry »

Construction Industry Adds 23,000 Jobs in September, Says ABC

WASHINGTON, Oct. 5—The U.S. construction industry added 23,000 net new positions in September, according to an Associated Builders and Contractors analysis of data released by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Read the rest of entry »

August Construction Unemployment Rates Down in 49 States Year Over Year, Says ABC

WASHINGTON, Oct. 2—Estimated August construction unemployment rates fell nationally and in every state except Colorado on a year-over-year basis, according to an analysis of U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data released today by Associated Builders and Contractors. Read the rest of entry »

Nonresidential Spending Reaches New High in August, Says ABC

WASHINGTON, Oct. 1— National nonresidential construction spending expanded
0.7 percent in August to its highest level since the U.S. Census Bureau began
collecting the data in 2002, according to an Associated Builders and
Contractors analysis released today. Total nonresidential spending stood at $762.7 billion on a seasonally adjusted, annualized rate in August, which represents an increase of 8.4 percent compared to one year ago. Private nonresidential spending fell 0.2 percent in August largely due to a 1.3 percent decline in power-related spending, the largest private construction spending category, and public nonresidential spending increased 2 percent. Read the rest of entry »

ABC Highlights Economic Benefits of Tax Reform on Small Businesses in Congressional Testimony

WASHINGTON, Sept. 27—Larry Lopez, president and chief executive officer of Green JobWorks, Baltimore, and chairman of Associated Builders and Contractor’s Diversity Committee, testified today before the U.S. House of Representatives Subcommittee on Economic Growth, Tax and Capital Access on how recent economic growth is positively impacting local communities.   Read the rest of entry »

Contractors Remain Upbeat in Q2, According to ABC’s Latest Construction Confidence Index

WASHINGTON, Sept. 24—Construction contractors remained confident during the second quarter of 2018, according to the latest Construction Confidence Index released today by Associated Builders and Contractors. Read the rest of entry »

ABC’s Construction Backlog Indicator Hits a New High in Second Quarter of 2018

WASHINGTON, Sept. 17—Associated Builders and Contractors reports that its Construction Backlog Indicator expanded to a record 9.9 months during the second quarter of 2018. Backlog is up 12.2 percent from the first quarter and 14 percent compared to the same time last year.  Read the rest of entry »

Construction Material Prices Fall in August, says ABC

WASHINGTON, Sept. 12—Prices for inputs to construction fell 0.5 percent in August but are 8.1 percent higher than at the same time one year ago, according to an Associated Builders and Contractors analysis of Bureau of Labor Statistics data released today. Nonresidential construction input prices fell 0.4 percent in August but are up 8.3 percent year-over-year. Softwood lumber prices plummeted 9.6 percent in August yet are up 5 percent on a yearly basis (down from a 19.5 percent increase year-over-year in July). Read the rest of entry »

Construction Employment Retains Momentum in August, Says ABC

WASHINGTON, Sept. 7—The U.S. construction industry added 23,000 net new jobs in August, an increase from the 18,000 net new jobs added in July, according to an Associated Builders and Contractors analysis of data supplied by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The industry has added 297,000 net new jobs since August 2017, a 4.3 percent increase. Nonresidential construction employment increased by 9,600 net jobs in August, although the heavy and civil engineering category lost 200 net jobs for the month. Read the rest of entry »

Strategic Partner United Rentals to Sponsor Diversity Program

WASHINGTON, Sept. 6, 2018—Associated Builders and Contractors recently announced that United Rentals, Inc., the world’s largest equipment rental company, has signed on as the sponsor of ABC’s diversity and inclusion initiatives, including the Diversity & Inclusion Summit and National Diversity Excellence Awards.    Read the rest of entry »