ABC issues news releases on the latest workforce, policy and industry issues, as well as construction-related economic data and trends. Commercial and industrial construction economic analyses include federal data on construction spending, employment, job openings and the Producer Price Index. 

In addition, ABC produces the Construction Backlog Indicator, the only economic indicator that reflects the amount of work that will be performed by commercial and industrial construction contractors in the months ahead, and the Construction Confidence Index, a diffusion index that signals construction contractors’ expectations for sales, profit margins and staffing levels. Methodology for both indicators can be found here. ABC construction economic releases are published according to this schedule for 2023.  

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News Releases

From monthly archives: May 2022

We are pleased to present below all posts archived in 'May 2022'. If you still can't find what you are looking for, try using the search box.

ABC to Biden Administration: Withdraw the DOL’s Davis-Bacon Proposed Rule

Wednesday, May 18, 2022 7:55 AM

WASHINGTON, May 18—In a comment letter filed on May 17, Associated Builders and Contractors urged President Biden’s U.S. Department of Labor to withdraw an inflationary and flawed proposed rule revising Davis-Bacon Act and Related Acts regulations that apply to federal and federally assisted construction projects funded by taxpayers.

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In: Policy, Politics and Policy, News Release 2022 |

Inflationary Davis-Bacon Prevailing Wages Cost Taxpayers More for Public Works Projects

Monday, May 16, 2022 10:55 AM

WASHINGTON, May 16—The flawed method used by the federal government to calculate “prevailing wages” under the 91-year-old Davis-Bacon Act adds at least 7.2% to the cost of federal and federally assisted construction projects and inflates wages by 20.2% compared to local market averages, according to a new report from the Beacon Hill Institute. Associated Builders and Contractors has called on the U.S. Department of Labor to modernize its wage determination process for decades, but a proposed rule the agency released on March 18 actually makes this archaic and unscientific process even more inaccurate, inflationary and biased.

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In: Policy, Politics and Policy, News Release 2022 |

Monthly Construction Input Prices Increase in April, Says ABC

Thursday, May 12, 2022 10:04 AM

WASHINGTON, May 12—Construction input prices increased 0.8% in April compared to the previous month, 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 rose 0.9% for the month.

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In: Construction Economic Update, Construction Economics, Materials Prices, News Release 2022 |

ABC’s Construction Backlog Up in April; Contractor Confidence Down

Tuesday, May 10, 2022 9:55 AM

WASHINGTON, May 10—Associated Builders and Contractors reported today that its Construction Backlog Indicator increased to 8.8 months in April, according to an ABC member survey conducted from April 20 to May 4. The reading is up 0.9 months from April 2021.

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In: Construction Economic Update, Construction Backlog Indicator, Construction Confidence Index, Construction Economics, News Release 2022 |

Nonresidential Construction Employment Dips in April, Says ABC

Friday, May 6, 2022 9:15 AM

WASHINGTON, May 6—The construction industry added 2,000 jobs on net in April, but nonresidential construction employment decreased by 2,000 positions, according to an Associated Builders and Contractors analysis of data released today by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. On a year-over-year basis, industry employment has expanded by 235,000 jobs, an increase of 3.2%. 

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In: Employment, Construction Economic Update, Construction Economics, News Release 2022 |

ABC: Members Invested $1.6 Billion in Construction Workforce Education to Upskill 1.3 Million in 2021

Wednesday, May 4, 2022 9:55 AM

WASHINGTON, May 4—Associated Builders and Contractors member contractors invested $1.6 billion to provide more than 1.3 million course attendees with craft, leadership and safety education in 2021, according to its 2022 Workforce Development Survey, up from $1.3 billion in 2020. The annual assessment quantifies the scope of ABC members’ workforce development initiatives to advance their employees’ careers in commercial and industrial construction to build the places where Americans live, work, learn, heal and play.  

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In: Workforce and Safety, News Release 2022 |

Construction Job Openings Increased in March; Demand for Labor Remains Strong, Says ABC

Tuesday, May 3, 2022 11:31 AM

WASHINGTON, May 3—The construction industry had 396,000 job openings in March 2022, according to an Associated Builders and Contractors analysis of data released today by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Industry job openings increased by 13,000 in March and are up 60,000 from the same time last year.

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In: Construction Economic Update, Construction Economics, News Release 2022, JOLTS |

Nonresidential Construction Spending Down 1% in March; Recession Could Be Around the Corner, Says ABC

Monday, May 2, 2022 11:03 AM

WASHINGTON, May 2—National nonresidential construction spending was down 0.8% in March, according to an Associated Builders and Contractors analysis of data published today by the U.S. Census Bureau. On a seasonally adjusted annualized basis, nonresidential spending totaled $839.2 billion for the month.

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In: Construction Spending, Construction Economic Update, Construction Economics, News Release 2022 |