ABC: Monthly Construction Economic Survey Shows Tariff Impacts Emerge

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Associated Builders and Contractors reported today that its Construction Backlog Indicator rose to 8.5 months in March, according to an ABC member survey conducted March 20 to April 6. The reading is up 0.3 months since March 2024. Backlog increased on a monthly basis for all nonresidential subsegments in March. Over the past year, however, only the infrastructure category has experienced a meaningful increase in backlog. ABC’s Construction Confidence Index reading for staffing improved, while the readings for sales and profit margins fell. The readings for all three components remain above the threshold of 50, indicating expectations for growth over … Read more

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ABC Releases March Construction Spending Data

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Construction input prices increased 0.5% in March, according to an Associated Builders and Contractors’ analysis of U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Producer Price Index data. Nonresidential construction input prices increased 0.6% for the month. Both overall and nonresidential construction input prices are 0.8% higher than one year ago. While crude petroleum prices fell considerably in March, that decline was more than offset by rapidly rising natural gas, steel, copper and lumber prices. “Construction input prices increased at a rapid pace for the third consecutive month in March and have now risen at a 9.7% annualized rate through the first quarter … Read more

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New Crane Index, Quarterly Cost Report from Rider Levett Bucknall

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Rider Levett Bucknall has released its latest Crane Index and Quarterly Cost Report, providing a perspective on the North American construction industry in 16 key markets (formerly 14; Miami and Nashville have been newly added to the Quarterly Cost Report). The latest RLB quarterly cost report, with data current to mid-Q1 2025, shows that the national average change in construction costs was .98% in Q1, which was down from 1.11% in Q4; congruently, the year-over-year rate is 4.35%, down from 5.86% this time last year. Boston, Chicago, Honolulu, Portland and Seattle experienced increases in construction costs over the national average … Read more

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March Construction Employment Up Just 1.8% Year Over Year

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The construction industry added 13,000 jobs on net 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 risen by a mere 143,000 jobs, an increase of 1.8%. Nonresidential construction employment increased by 22,300 positions on net in March, with growth in 2 of the 3 subsegments. Nonresidential specialty trade added the most jobs, with a monthly increase of 19,300 positions, while heavy and civil engineering added 3,400 jobs. The nonresidential building subsegment lost 400 positions. The construction unemployment rate decreased to 5.4% … Read more

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ABC: Nonresidential Construction Spending Rises to Highest Level on Record in February

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National nonresidential construction spending increased .3% in February, 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 roughly $1.2 trillion. Spending was up on a monthly basis in 9 of the 16 nonresidential subcategories. Private nonresidential spending increased .4%, while public nonresidential construction spending was up .2% in February. “Nonresidential spending rebounded in February, rising to the highest level on record,” said ABC Chief Economist Anirban Basu. “A surge in highway and street spending accounted for more than 40% of the monthly increase, and … Read more

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