Nonresidential Construction Spending Ticks Higher in November, Down Year-Over-Year, ABC Says

WASHINGTON, Jan. 3—Nonresidential construction spending expanded 0.6 percent in November, totaling $719.2 billion on a seasonally adjusted basis, according to an Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) analysis of data released today by the U.S. Census Bureau. Despite the month-over-month expansion, nonresidential spending fell 1.3 percent from November 2016. 
Read the rest of entry »

Construction Unemployment Rates Improve in 36 States as Nation Posts Lowest November Rate on Record, Says ABC

WASHINGTON, Jan. 3—The not seasonally adjusted (NSA) national construction unemployment rate was 5 percent in November, down 0.7 percent from a year ago and the lowest November rate on record, according to an analysis of U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) data released today by Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC). The construction industry employed 191,000 more workers than in November 2016.
Read the rest of entry »

ABC Celebrates Passage of Historic Tax Reform Bill

WASHINGTON, Dec. 20—Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) President and CEO Michael D. Bellaman released the following statement after Congress passed The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act:

“This is a historic day for the construction industry. For too long, ABC’s 21,000-plus members have paid the highest effective tax rate of any sector of the economy. We are a capital-intensive, domestically oriented industry comprised mostly of small, family owned and closely held merit shop construction companies employing hardworking Americans.




Read the rest of entry »

ABC Chief Economist Predicts Stable 2018 Construction Economy

WASHINGTON, Dec. 13—Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) Chief Economist Anirban Basu predicts stability for the construction industry’s economy and expanding nonresidential construction spending in 2018. While construction project backlog and contractor confidence remain high heading into the new year, Basu warns there are risks to the 2018 outlook as a number of potential cost increases could come into play.
Read the rest of entry »

November Construction Input Prices Expand; Year-over-Year Inflation Highest Since 2011

WASHINGTON, Dec. 12 – Construction input prices expanded 0.7 percent in November and rose 5.6 percent on a yearly basis, the largest increase since November 2011, according to an Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) analysis of  Bureau of Labor Statistics data released today. Nonresidential construction materials prices also expanded 0.7 percent for the month and 5.4 percent for the year. Crude petroleum prices rose 11 percent in November and are 31 percent higher than this time last year. 
Read the rest of entry »

Construction Backlog Surges, Sets Record in Third Quarter, ABC Says

WASHINGTON, Dec. 11—Providing more evidence of a strengthening economy, Associated Builders and Contractors’ (ABC) Construction Backlog Indicator (CBI) set a record as it expanded to 9.45 months during the third quarter of 2017, up 9.8 percent from the second quarter to the longest backlog reading in the eight-year history of the series.  CBI is up by 0.8 months, or 9.2 percent, on a year-over-year basis.
Read the rest of entry »

Construction Jobs Numbers Rebound in November

WASHINGTON, Dec. 8—The nation’s construction sector added 24,000 net new jobs in November, representing a 0.3 percent month-over-month increase, according to an Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) analysis of Bureau of Labor Statistics data released today. 
Read the rest of entry »

Worker Availability Confidence Remains Low Among Florida Construction Firms

WASHINGTON, Dec. 4— In its survey of Florida construction firms for the third quarter of 2017, Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) finds the confidence to fill open positions over the next six months remains low. Continued hurricane rebuilding efforts will likely exacerbate the challenge to find enough skilled labor in Florida to meet the level of project demand. Confidence in other areas of the survey remains high.
Read the rest of entry »

Construction's Contribution to U.S. Economy Highest in Seven Years

According to a report released today by Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC), the private construction industry’s value added as a percentage of the nation’s real gross domestic product (GDP) rose to 4 percent in 2016, the highest level since 2009. The report also shows annual growth in real construction spending, which rose 3.5 percent in 2016. Thirty-seven states benefited from the rise in construction activity in their state, while 13 states experienced a reduction in activity.  
Read the rest of entry »

Merit Shop Scorecard 2017: ABC Ranks America's Construction Business Climate by State

Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) today released its annual update to “Building America: The Merit Shop Scorecard,” which takes stock of state policies that influence the success or failure of a free enterprise-based environment for construction companies.  
Read the rest of entry »