Nonresidential Construction Spending Down 0.2% in May, Says ABC

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National nonresidential construction spending decreased 0.2% in May, 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 $1.237 trillion. Spending was down on a monthly basis in half of the nonresidential subcategories. Private nonresidential spending was down 0.4%, while public nonresidential construction spending was practically unchanged in May. “Nonresidential construction spending declined for the fourth straight month in May,” said ABC Chief Economist Anirban Basu. “Private sector nonresidential activity remains particularly weak and is down nearly 7% from its January 2023 peak. Manufacturing investment, … Read more

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ABC Names 2025 Top-Performing US Construction Contractors

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Associated Builders and Contractors recently announced its 2025 Top Performers lists, recognizing its contractor members’ outstanding achievements in safety, quality, inclusion, project excellence and special designations ranked by number of hours worked. The No. 1 2025 ABC Top Performer by work hours is Turner Industries Group, followed by BL Harbert International, Brown & Root Industrial Services, Performance Contractors and MMR Constructors. “Competition is a healthy constant in the ever-evolving world of construction, and these companies believe fair and open competition based on merit fosters innovation, increases value and delivers results for the betterment of the individual, the industry and the … 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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