ABC Contractor Backlog, Confidence Rise Again in April, Buoyed by Data Centers

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Associated Builders and Contractors reported that its Construction Backlog Indicator rose to 8.8 months in April, according to an ABC member survey conducted from April 20 to May 4. The reading is up 0.2 months from March and up 0.1 months from April 2025.  View ABC’s Construction Backlog Indicator and Construction Confidence Index for April. View the full Construction Backlog Indicator and Construction Confidence Index data series. Backlog surged for contractors with greater than $100 million in annual revenues and is now 2.2 months higher than during April 2025. All other contractor size categories have smaller backlog than they did one year ago. ABC’s Construction […]

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Nonresidential Construction Adds Healthy 19,000 Jobs in April

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The construction industry added 9,000 jobs on net in April, 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 expanded by 50,000 jobs, an increase of 0.6%. Nonresidential construction employment increased by 19,000 positions, with gains in all three subcategories. Nonresidential specialty traded added the most jobs, increasing by 12,600 positions. Nonresidential building and heavy and civil engineering added 5,600 and 800 jobs, respectively, in April. The construction unemployment rate was 3.8% in April. Unemployment across all industries remained unchanged at 4.3% and is 0.1 […]

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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 […]

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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 […]

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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 […]

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