Construction Unemployment Rates Improve in 26 States Year-Over-Year, ABC Says

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WASHINGTON, D.C. – December not seasonally adjusted construction unemployment rates were down in 26 states and the nation on a year-over-year basis, according to an analysis released by Associated Builders and Contractors. The rates for two states, Iowa and Wisconsin, were unchanged from December 2015. The national NSA construction unemployment rate of 7.4 percent was down 0.1 percent from a year ago, according to data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The national NSA construction unemployment rate has fallen from the previous year’s reading every month since October 2010. Since these industry-specific rates are not seasonally adjusted, it is […]

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Construction Employment in January Reaches Highest Level Since 2008

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Construction employment increased by 36,000 jobs in January to the highest level since November 2008 as employers increased pay in an effort to address a chronic worker shortage, according to an analysis of new government data by the Associated General Contractors of America. The association urged public officials to strengthen training and education programs to prepare more workers for careers in the high-paying construction field. “This report aligns with what contractors have been telling the association—that the construction industry is still eager to add workers,” said Ken Simonson, the association’s chief economist. “The employment gains would be even larger if […]

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Dodge Momentum Index Moves Higher in January

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NEW YORK, N.Y. – The Dodge Momentum Index rose 3.9 percent in January to 142.6 (2000=100) from its revised December reading of 137.3. The momentum index is a monthly measure of the first (or initial) report for nonresidential building projects in planning, which have been shown to lead construction spending for nonresidential buildings by a full year. The move higher in January was due to a 12.1 percent increase in institutional planning outweighing a 1.0 percent decline in commercial planning intentions. Despite the decline in commercial planning in January, that portion of the momentum index remains near its eight-year high, […]

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Construction Firms Getting Squeezed by Increasing Materials, Labor Costs

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The cost of materials used in construction rose markedly faster than the price of completed buildings, according to a new analysis of federal producer price data recently released by the Associated General Contractors of America. Association officials cautioned that potential restrictions on the use of imported construction materials threaten to drive up the price of infrastructure, buildings and new homes and apartments. “Steep price hikes have hit a wide range of key materials used in construction in the past few months, and contractors have received numerous letters from vendors announcing large additional increases in the next month or two,” said […]

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Construction Job Growth Rebounds in 2017, ABC Says

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WASHINGTON, D.C. – National construction employment started 2017 on a high note, adding 36,000 net new jobs on a seasonally adjusted basis in January, according to analysis of U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data released by the Associated Builders and Contractors. The 0.5 percent increase represents the best month for construction employment growth since March of 2016. The nonresidential construction sector added 14,900 net new jobs for the month, while its residential counterpart added 20,300 net new jobs (note that these don’t sum to the total due to rounding). The construction industry added 170,000 net new jobs on a yearly […]

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