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.

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%. 

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.

WASHINGTON, April 28—The U.S. economy contracted at a 1.4% annualized rate during the first quarter of 2022. Investment in nonresidential structures declined at an annual rate of 0.9% during the quarter and has contracted nine of the past 10 quarters, according to an Associated Builders and Contractors analysis of data released today by the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis.

WASHINGTON, April 13—Construction input prices rose 2.9% in March, according to an Associated Builders and Contractors analysis of the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Producer Price Index data released today. Nonresidential construction input prices expanded 2.8% for the month.

WASHINGTON, April 12—Associated Builders and Contractors reported today that its Construction Backlog Indicator increased to 8.3 months in March, according to an ABC member survey conducted Mar. 22 to April 5. The reading is up 0.5 months from March 2021.

WASHINGTON, March 15—Associated Builders and Contractors reported today that its Construction Backlog Indicator remained unchanged at 8.0 months in February, according to an ABC member survey conducted Feb. 21 to March 8. The reading is down 0.2 months from February 2021.

WASHINGTON, Feb. 7—Associated Builders and Contractors today released the following statement in response to the Biden administration’s White House Task Force on Worker Organizing and Empowerment report on how to boost union membership in the federal government and public and private sectors.

WASHINGTON, Dec. 3—Like most of the economy, construction, and therefore construction employment, was hit hard by the spread of COVID-19 and measures to limit the pandemic. However, construction performed better than many other occupational groups and has been relatively quick to rebound, though not back to its pre-COVID-19 levels, according to a state-by-state analysis of U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data released today by Associated Builders and Contractors.

WASHINGTON, Dec. 1—National nonresidential construction spending was virtually unchanged in October, 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 $792.4 billion for the month.

WASHINGTON, Nov. 13—Construction input prices remained virtually unchanged in October compared to the previous month, according to an Associated Builders and Contractors analysis of the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Producer Price Index data released today. Nonresidential construction input prices also remained unchanged for the month.

WASHINGTON, Dec. 19—Leaders of the U.S. construction industry regained a degree of confidence in October 2019 with respect to near-term prospects for sales and profit margins, according to the Associated Builders and Contractors Construction Confidence Index released today. However, contractors became slightly less confident regarding their staffing levels during the next six months.

WASHINGTON, Dec. 2—National nonresidential construction spending fell 0.7% in October but is up 1.4% compared to the same time last year, 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 $776.5 billion, 2.3% lower than the cyclical peak attained in April 2019.

WASHINGTON, Aug. 12—More than 10 years after the end of the most severe financial crisis since the Great Depression, the U.S. economy is again making history by entering its longest-ever expansion. Nevertheless, emerging weakness in business investment has been hinting at softening outlays, giving commercial and industrial construction contractors cause for concern, according to a mid-year economic outlook by Anirban Basu, chief economist of Associated Builders and Contractors.

WASHINGTON, Aug. 2—The construction industry added 4,000 net new jobs in July, 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 202,000 net jobs, an increase of 2.8%. 

WASHINGTON, July 31—In June, estimated not seasonally adjusted construction unemployment rates fell nationally and in 40 states and increased in 10 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. For the second month in a row, all 50 states posted construction unemployment rates of less than 10%. 

WASHINGTON, May 23—Construction industry leaders remained upbeat with respect to nonresidential construction prospects in March 2019, according to the latest Construction Confidence Index released today by Associated Builders and Contractors.

WASHINGTON, March 20—Estimated January not seasonally adjusted construction unemployment rates fell nationally and in 48 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, March 4—National nonresidential construction spending remained virtually unchanged in December, according to Associated Builders and Contractors’ analysis of U.S. Census Bureau data released today. Nonresidential spending totaled $750.5 billion on a seasonally adjusted annualized basis in December, up 4 percent year over year. 

WASHINGTON, Feb. 1—National nonresidential construction spending declined 1 percent in November, according to an Associated Builders and Contractors analysis of U.S. Census Bureau data released today. The release of November data, originally scheduled for Jan. 3, was delayed by the partial government shutdown.  

WASHINGTON, Feb. 1— Construction employment expanded by 52,000 net new jobs in January, according to an Associated Builders and Contractors analysis of data released today by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Industry employment is up by 338,000 net jobs on a yearly basis, which represents an increase of 4.7 percent. Nonresidential construction employment grew by 28,600 net new positions on a monthly basis, although the nonresidential building sub-sector lost 800 net positions. 

WASHINGTON, Jan. 4—According to an Associated Builders and Contractors analysis of data released by today the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, construction employment expanded by 38,000 net new jobs in December. Across the industry, employment is up by 280,000 year-over-year, an increase of 4.0 percent.

WASHINGTON, Dec. 4—Associated Builders and Contractors Chief Economist Anirban Basu forecasts another strong year for construction sector performance, yet warns about inflationary pressures, according to a 2019 economic outlook published today in Construction Executive magazine.

WASHINGTON, Oct. 26—The U.S. economy expanded at a 3.5 percent annualized rate during the third quarter of 2018, according to an Associated Builders and Contractors analysis of U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis data released today. This represents the first time there have been two consecutive quarters of 3 percent-plus growth since the beginning of 2015.

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.