Nonresidential Construction Spending Down Again in March

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National nonresidential construction spending decreased 0.2% in March, according to an Associated Builders and Contractors’ analysis of data published by the U.S. Census Bureau. On a seasonally adjusted annualized basis, nonresidential spending totaled $1.244 trillion. Spending was down on a monthly basis in 9 of the 16 nonresidential subcategories. Both public and private nonresidential spending were down 0.2% in March. “Nonresidential construction spending contracted yet again in March,” said ABC Chief Economist Anirban Basu. “While a large portion of the ongoing decline is due to steadily falling manufacturing-related construction activity, weakness is becoming more widespread. Both public and private sector activity … Read more

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Construction Hiring Still Exceptionally Slow in March

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The construction industry had 224,000 job openings on the last day of March, according to an Associated Builders and Contractors analysis of data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey. JOLTS defines a job opening as any unfilled position for which an employer is actively recruiting. Industry job openings increased by 23,000 last month but are down by 54,000 from the same time last year. “The industry’s labor market continues to be defined by an utter lack of churn,” said ABC Chief Economist Anirban Basu. “Construction industry hiring rebounded from February’s historically low level but remains … Read more

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Research Reveals Root Causes Behind Construction Project Delays

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New research from STARC Systems, developed in partnership with Construction Dive, reveals that project delays have become the norm across the construction industry — and that many of the most impactful causes are preventable. Based on a survey of 150 construction leaders, the report finds that only one in three contractors say most of their projects start on time, while more than half of delays last one to three months or longer. While labor shortages remain the most commonly cited factor, the research shows that planning, procurement and coordination gaps are among the most overlooked contributors to schedule delays. Key … Read more

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Construction Backlog, Contractor Confidence Outpace Year-Ago Levels in March

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Associated Builders and Contractors reported that its Construction Backlog Indicator rose to 8.6 months in March, according to an ABC member survey conducted March 23 to April 6. The reading is up 0.5 months from February and up 0.1 months from March 2025. View ABC’s Construction Backlog Indicator and Construction Confidence Index for March. View the full Construction Backlog Indicator and Construction Confidence Index data series. The 15% of ABC member contractor respondents under contract to perform work on data centers had significantly longer backlog (10.6 months) than the 85% of contractors who are not (8.3 months). ABC’s Construction Confidence Index readings for profit margins … Read more

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Construction Employment Rebounds by 26,000 in March

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The construction industry added 26,000 jobs in March, according to an Associated Builders and Contractors analysis of data released by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. On a year-over-year basis, industry employment has grown by 57,000 jobs, an increase of 0.7%. Nonresidential construction employment increased by 12,200 positions, with gains in all three subcategories. Nonresidential building added the most jobs, increasing by 4,500 positions. Nonresidential specialty trade and heavy and civil engineering added 3,900 and 3,800 jobs, respectively, in March. The construction unemployment rate was 6.7% in March. Unemployment across all industries dropped to 4.3%, but is still 0.1 percentage … Read more

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