ABC’s Construction Backlog Indicator is the only economic indicator that reflects the amount of work that will be performed by commercial and industrial construction contractors in the months ahead. The Construction Confidence Index is a diffusion index that signals construction contractors’ expectations for sales, profit margins and staffing levels. View the methodology for both indicators. 

 

News Releases

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News Releases

WASHINGTON, Sept. 1—National nonresidential construction spending fell 1.2% in July, according to an Associated Builders and Contractors analysis of data published today by the U.S. Census Bureau. On a seasonally adjusted annualized basis, spending totaled $809.1 billion for the month.

WASHINGTON, Aug. 1—National nonresidential construction spending declined 1.8% in June, totaling $773.8 billion on a seasonally adjusted annualized basis—a 2.3% increase compared to the same time a year ago, according to an Associated Builders and Contractors analysis of U.S. Census Bureau data published today. Public nonresidential spending fell 3.7% in June, but is up 6.4% year over year, while private nonresidential spending fell 0.3% on a monthly basis and is up 0.4% from June 2018.

LONG BEACH, California, March 28—Associated Builders and Contractors announced that Adrian Rios of McCullough Construction in Arcata, California, was named the 2019 Craft Professional of the Year. Rios was honored during the Careers in Construction Awards at ABC Convention 2019 in Long Beach, California.

WASHINGTON, Oct. 30—Estimated September construction unemployment rates fell nationally and in 30 states 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. 

WASHINGTON, June 27—In May, not seasonally adjusted (NSA) construction unemployment rates were down in 24 states on a year-over-year basis, according to analysis released today by Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC). At the same time, the construction industry employed 192,000 more workers than in May 2016, according to data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), and the national NSA construction unemployment rate was 5.3 percent, up 0.1 percent from a year ago.

WASHINGTON, Sept. 27—The not seasonally adjusted (NSA) national construction unemployment rate was 4.7 percent in August, down 0.4 percent from a year ago and the lowest August rate on record, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported. Unemployment rates were also down in 35 states on a year-over-year basis, according to an analysis released today by Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC). Rates rose in nine states and were unchanged in six. Further, the construction industry employed 206,000 more workers than in August 2016.

WASHINGTON, Oct. 31—The not seasonally adjusted (NSA) national construction unemployment rate was 4.7 percent in September, down 0.5 percent from a year ago and the second lowest September rate on record behind the 4.6 percent rate in September 2000, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported. Construction unemployment rates were also down in 41 states on a year-over-year basis while rates rose in nine states, according to an analysis released today by Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC). Further, the construction industry employed 173,000 more workers than in September 2016.

WASHINGTON, Nov. 28—The not seasonally adjusted (NSA) national construction unemployment rate was 4.5 percent in October, down 1.2 percent from a year ago, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported. It was the lowest October rate on record, matching the rate in 2006, according to analysis released today by Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC). Further, the construction industry employed 180,000 more workers than in October 2016. Construction unemployment rates were also down in 44 states on a year-over-year basis, unchanged in one (South Dakota) and up in five states.

WASHINGTON, July 31—Estimated June construction unemployment rates fell in 15 states on a year-over-year basis, rose in 33 states and were unchanged in two states (Arizona and New Hampshire), according to an analysis of U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data released today by Associated Builders and Contractors.

WASHINGTON, Sept. 6—The national not seasonally adjusted (NSA) construction unemployment rate was 4.9 percent in July, up 0.4 percent from a year ago, but still the third lowest July rate on record—matching the July 2001 rate, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported. Unemployment rates increased in 34 states on a year-over-year basis, but the construction industry employed 186,000 more workers than in July 2016, according to an analysis released today by Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC). Rates fell in 14 states and were unchanged in two.

WASHINGTON, Aug. 1—In June, the not seasonally adjusted (NSA) construction unemployment rate was 4.5 percent, down 0.1 percent from a year ago and the lowest June rate on record, according to data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). According to an analysis released today by Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC), NSA construction unemployment rates were down in 31 states on a year-over-year basis, and the construction industry employed 204,000 more workers than in June 2016. 

WASHINGTON, D.C., March 14—Construction input prices expanded 0.3 percent on a monthly basis and 4.8 percent on a year-over-year basis in February, according to analysis of U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) data released today by Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC). This represents the most rapid yearly growth in construction input prices in more than five years.

WASHINGTON, D.C., April 3—Nonresidential construction spending remained unchanged in February, according to analysis of U.S. Census Bureau data released today by Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC). The segment totaled $701.9 billion on a seasonally adjusted annualized rate for the month, marking the seventh consecutive month in which nonresidential spending sat above the $700 billion threshold.

WASHINGTON, D.C. April 7—National construction employment remained largely unchanged in March, adding 6,000 net new jobs on a seasonally adjusted basis according to analysis of U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data released today by Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC). The nonresidential construction sector added 13,300 net new jobs for the month, while the residential sector lost 7,600 net jobs.

WASHINGTON, D.C., April 13—Construction input prices rose for the fourth consecutive month in March, increasing by 0.3 percent on a monthly basis and 4.4 percent on a yearly basis, according to analysis of U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data released today by Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC). Nonresidential construction input prices performed similarly, increasing by 0.4 percent for the month and 4.4 percent for the year.

WASHINGTON, D.C., April 28—The U.S. economy’s performance slowed in the first quarter of 2017, but nonresidential fixed investment expanded at an impressive 9.4 percent seasonally adjusted annual rate, according to analysis of U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis data released today by Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC).

WASHINGTON, D.C., May 1—Nonresidential construction spending fell 1.2 percent in March, according to analysis of U.S. Census Bureau data released today by Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC). Spending in the segment totaled $708.6 billion on a seasonally adjusted, annualized basis, however the decline is less dramatic than it may be perceived to be given that February’s initial estimate of $701.6 billion was upwardly revised to $717 billion, making it the highest level or spending recorded in the data series.

WASHINGTON, D.C., May 5—National construction employment remained largely unchanged for the second consecutive month, adding 5,000 net new jobs on a seasonally adjusted basis in April, according to analysis of U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data released today by Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC).

WASHINGTON, D.C., May 11—Construction input prices rose for a fifth consecutive month in April, increasing by 0.7 percent on a monthly basis and 4.3 percent on a year-over-year basis, according to analysis of U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data released today by Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC). Nonresidential construction input prices behaved similarly, increasing by 0.7 percent on a monthly basis and 4.2 percent on a year-ago basis.

WASHINGTON, D.C., June 1—Nonresidential construction spending fell 1.7 percent in April 2017, totaling $696.3 billion on a seasonally adjusted, annualized basis, according to analysis of U.S. Census Bureau data released today by Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC). 

WASHINGTON, D.C. June 2—National construction employment added 11,000 net new jobs on a seasonally adjusted basis in May according to analysis of U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data released today by Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC).

WASHINGTON, July 3 - Nonresidential construction spending expanded by 0.3 percent on both a monthly and yearly basis in May and stands at $714.3 billion on a seasonally adjusted annualized basis, according to analysis of a report from the U.S. Census Bureau released today by Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC). 

WASHINGTON, July 13--Construction input prices rose 0.2 percent in June, according to an analysis of Bureau of Labor Statistics data released today by Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC). This represents the sixth increase in construction input prices over the past seven months, but the overall rate of increase has been quite slow. On a year-over-year basis, construction input prices are up 2.6 percent.

WASHINGTON, Aug. 4—National construction employment growth remained tepid in July, with approximately 6,000 net new jobs added on a seasonally adjusted basis, according to an analysis by Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) of data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The residential construction segment added 7,200 net new jobs in July, but employment in the nation’s nonresidential construction sector declined by 1,700 positions after 9,900 jobs were added on net in June.  

WASHINGTON, Aug. 10—Construction input prices increased 0.3 percent in July and are up 3 percent on a year-over-year basis, according to an Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) analysis of data released today by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.  Nonresidential construction input prices were in line with overall industry dynamics, increasing 0.3 percent for the month and 2.7 percent for the year.  

ABC construction economic releases are published according to this schedule in 2023

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