Construction Employment Increases in 38 States, D.C. from November 2018 to November 2019

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Thirty-eight states and the District of Columbia added construction jobs between November 2018 and November 2019, while construction employment increased in 18 states from October to November, according to an analysis by the Associated General Contractors of America of Labor Department data. Association officials noted that a survey it recently released found most contractors expect to keep adding workers in 2020 but they are finding it hard to fill positions and anticipate it will continue to be hard to hire employees. “It is encouraging that so many contractors were able to add employees even with overall unemployment at a 50-year […]

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ABC’s 2020 Construction Economic Forecast: Momentum Persists, Despite Uncertainties

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Associated Builders and Contractors’ Chief Economist Anirban Basu forecasts continued momentum for the construction sector next year but advised an overall “wait-and-see” approach based on leading and lagging indicators and economic uncertainties. Although ABC’s Construction Backlog Indicator—a leading indicator that reflects projects under contract yet to be executed—climbed to nine months in August 2019, construction spending and employment—lagging indicators—have started to soften. Yet, while spending in private nonresidential categories such as office and logging has decreased, public spending categories remain a bright spot. “Indeed, one of the sources of strength for the U.S. economy over the last year has been […]

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Marcum Commercial Construction Q3 Index Reports Construction Industry Healthy Heading into 2020

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The Marcum Commercial Construction Index for the third quarter of 2019 finds the industry in overall good health as 2020 approaches, despite some causes for concern. Entitled The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly, the report is produced by Marcum LLP’s Construction Services Group. The good On the positive side, Marcum’s third-quarter index points to increased public construction spending, growing backlogs, falling input prices, the ongoing U.S. economic expansion, a strong construction labor market and interest rate cuts as key factors sustaining the construction industry’s momentum. Highlights noted include: A 1.5% increase in public construction spending in September and a […]

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Construction Employment Increases in 231 out of 358 Metro Areas from October 2018 to October 2019

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Construction employment grew in 231, or 65%, out of 358 metro areas between October 2018 and October 2019, declined in 69 and was unchanged in 58, according to a new analysis of federal employment data released by the Associated General Contractors of America. Association officials said hourly craftworker positions remain difficult to fill despite the widespread job gains, and they urged federal officials to promote more workplace-based immigration, along with career and technical education. “Employers in most areas remain busy and eager to hire workers, but they struggle to find qualified employees in many metros,” said Ken Simonson, the association’s […]

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Construction Employment Increases in 41 States, D.C. Year-Over-Year

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Forty-one states and the District of Columbia added construction jobs between October 2018 and October 2019, while construction employment increased in 28 states from September to October, according to an analysis by the Associated General Contractors of America of Labor Department data. Association officials said that firm’s efforts to increase pay and benefits and do more in-house training appear to be helping them find people to hire despite tight labor conditions.   “Construction employment continues to experience robust growth in most parts of the country,” said Ken Simonson, the association’s chief economist. “Many firms appear to be overcoming the challenge […]

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