WASHINGTON, Nov. 3—The not seasonally adjusted national construction unemployment rate dropped 2.6% in September 2021 from a year ago while 49 states had lower unemployment rates over the same period, according to state-by-state analysis of U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data released today by Associated Builders and Contractors. Only one state, Alaska, had a higher estimated rate than it did in September 2020.

WASHINGTON, Oct. 28—Investment in nonresidential structures contracted at an annual rate of 7.3% during the third quarter of 2021 and has now contracted during seven of the past eight quarters, according to an Associated Builders and Contractors analysis of data released today by the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. The overall economy expanded at a 2.0% annualized rate during the third quarter of 2021.

WASHINGTON, Oct. 27—Associated Builders and Contractors today announced that it has hired Christopher Durso as the new editor-in-chief of Construction Executive, the magazine for the business of construction.

WASHINGTON, Oct. 22—Associated Builders and Contractors today calls attention to a new report that highlights the negative economic impact of controversial government-mandated project labor agreements on nonunion construction workers, who comprise 87.3% of the construction industry workforce. The study found that the limited number of nonunion craft professionals permitted to work on construction projects subject to a government-mandated PLA suffer an estimated 34% reduction in wages and benefits.

WASHINGTON, Oct. 14—Construction input prices declined 0.5% in September, according to an Associated Builders and Contractors analysis of U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Producer Price Index data released today. Nonresidential construction input prices fell 0.4% for the month.

WASHINGTON, Oct. 8—The construction industry added 22,000 jobs on net in September, according to an Associated Builders and Contractors analysis of data released today by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Overall, the industry has recovered 912,000 (81.9%) of the jobs lost during earlier stages of the pandemic.

WASHINGTON, Oct. 12—Associated Builders and Contractors reports today that its Construction Backlog Indicator fell to 7.6 months in September, according to an ABC member survey conducted Sept. 20-Oct. 4. The reading is down 0.1 months from August 2021, but up 0.1 months from September 2020.

WASHINGTON, Oct. 1—National nonresidential construction spending fell 0.4% in August, according to an Associated Builders and Contractors analysis of data published today by the U.S. Census Bureau. Nonresidential spending totaled $788.6 billion in August on a seasonally adjusted annualized basis, down 3.0% from August 2020.