Latest Producer Price Index Figures Point to ‘Limited-Time Sale’ For Construction Services Despite increases in construction costs in August, new figures released today by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics indicate that prices for the sector remain significantly down from a year ago, the chief economist for the Associated General Contractors of America said today in analyzing the data. Simonson noted that the producer price index (PPI) for inputs to construction industries, a weighted average of the costs of all materials used in every type of construction, increased 1.1 percent in August compared to the previous month. He noted that … Read more
AGC Release July Construction Employment Numbers
Reno-Sparks, NV & Wenatchee, WA Have Worst Job Losses, Columbus, IN and Weirton-Steubenville, WV-OH Again Have Largest Increases in Construction Employment ARLINGTON, VA – Construction workers in communities across the country continued to suffer extreme job losses this July according to a new analysis of metropolitan area employment data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics released today by the Associated General Contractors of America. That analysis found construction employment declined in 319 of the nation’s largest communities while only 11 areas saw increases and six saw no change in construction employment between July 2008 and July 2009. “These figures make … Read more
FMI Nonresidential Construction Index – Project Delays and Cancellations Increase
Few ARRA Funds Reaching Nonresidential Contractors Yet RALEIGH, N.C. — August 25 — The NRCI index for the third quarter is 44.8 and essentially unchanged from the second quarter reading of 45.0. This result leads us to think we are seeing the bottom of this long recession for nonresidential contractors. However, there isn"t much this quarter indicating recessionary conditions, for nonresidential contractors at least, are going to end soon. Most panelists see the short-term outlook as slightly less bad than last quarter, and we will take that as a good sign, even if a small one. A more important and … Read more
Stimulus Construction Funds Have Little Impact to Date on Companies’ Ability to Hire New Employees, Analysis Finds
Companies With and Without Stimulus Projects Hiring at Same Rate, In Part Because of “Disappointingly” Slow Distribution on Non-Transportation Stimulus Construction Dollars ARLINGTON, VA — July 30 — The stimulus plan appears to be having little influence on construction companies’ ability to expand payrolls to date according to a new industry analysis of the impact of the federal program’s construction spending released today by the Associated General Contractors of America. The “disappointingly” slow pace of construction spending outside of the transportation sector is one of the main reasons for the relatively small impact on new hiring, the group noted. “While … Read more
Construction Employment Declined in 333 Out of 352 Metro Areas in June
Columbus, Indiana & Weirton, West Virginia-Steubenville, Ohio Had Largest Increases; Pascagoula, Mississippi & Reno-Sparks, Nevada Had Largest Decreases in Construction Employment July 28 — Construction employment declined in all but 19 communities nationwide this June as compared to June-2008, according to a new analysis of metropolitan-area employment data released today by the Associated General Contractors of America. The analysis, which ranks the 12-month construction employment change reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics for 352 metro areas, shows that few places in America have been spared the widespread downturn in construction employment over the past year. “Construction workers remain, unfortunately, … Read more