Soft Business Conditions Persist at Architecture Firms

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The AIA/Deltek Architecture Billings Index remained in negative territory in May with a score of 47.2, up from 43.2 in April. Any score below 50 indicates a billings decline, although this month’s score indicates that somewhat fewer firms reported a decline in billings in May than in April. Inquiries into new work increased this month for the first time since January, reflecting the modest degree of stabilization in the economy recently. However, the value of signed design contracts continued to decline, indicating that while clients are starting to explore new projects, they remain hesitant to sign a contract committing to … Read more

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ABC: Tariffed Construction Materials Prices Rise in May

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Construction input prices increased .2% in May compared to the previous month, according to an Associated Builders and Contractors analysis of U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Producer Price Index data released. Nonresidential construction input prices increased .3% for the month. Overall construction input prices are 1.3% higher than a year ago, while nonresidential construction input prices are 1.6% higher. Prices decreased in 2 of the 3 energy categories last month. Natural gas prices were down 18.7%, while prices for unprocessed energy materials were down 3.5%. Crude petroleum prices increased 1.3% in May. “Construction materials prices continued to increase at a … Read more

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ABC: Contractors’ Backlog Falls Sharply in May

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Associated Builders and Contractors reported that its Construction Backlog Indicator fell to 8.4 months in May, according to an ABC member survey conducted May 20 to June 3. The reading is up .1 months since May 2024. While the South maintains the longest backlog of any region, it was the only one to experience a decline in May. Only the Northeast has longer backlog on a year-over-year basis, while the other three regions experienced annual declines. ABC’s Construction Confidence Index reading for profit margins improved in May, while the readings for sales and staffing levels fell. The readings for all … Read more

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ABC: Nonresidential Construction Adds 11,300 Jobs in May

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The construction industry added 4,000 jobs on net in May, 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 increased by 126,000 jobs, an increase of 1.5%. Nonresidential construction employment increased by 11,300 positions, with growth in all three subcategories. Nonresidential specialty trade added the most jobs, increasing by 4,500 positions, while heavy and civil engineering and nonresidential building added 3,700 and 3,100 jobs, respectively. The construction unemployment rate decreased to 3.5% in May. Unemployment across all industries remained unchanged at 4.2%. “The nonresidential … Read more

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ABC: Construction Job Openings Decreased by 3,000 in April, Down 45% Since December 2023

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The construction industry had 248,000 job openings on the last day of April, 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 decreased by 3,000 last month and are down by 78,000 from the same time last year. “Construction labor market churn remained unusually slow in April,” said ABC Chief Economist Anirban Basu. “The rates of hires, layoffs and quits are all low by historical standards, and … Read more

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