Construction employment declined in 146 out of 337 metropolitan areas between October 2010 and October 2011, increased in 140 and stayed level in 51, according to a new analysis of federal employment data released recently by the Associated General Contractors of America. Association officials noted many communities continue to lose construction jobs even as a federal program to invest in highway, transit and other infrastructure construction have been stalled in Congress for years. “Declining federal investments in infrastructure projects, including highway and transit work, are making matters worse for construction employment in many communities,” said Ken Simonson, the association's chief … Read more

Construction employment rose in half the states and decreased in half in October and during the past year, closely matching the stable national employment picture, according to an analysis by the Associated General Contractors of America of Labor Department data. The even split between gains and losses reflects the accelerating improvement in apartment and private nonresidential construction, offset by a declining public market and stalled single-family sector. “Construction employment gains are likely to remain spotty for months to come,” said Ken Simonson, the association's chief economist. “Local factors, rather than regional or industry trends, seem to dictate whether a state … Read more

The amount contractors pay for a range of key construction materials dropped slightly (-0.6 percent) in October but climbed 6.9 percent from the year-earlier level, according to an analysis of producer price index figures released by the Associated General Contractors of America. Meanwhile, the price contractors charge for new nonresidential building construction edged up only 3.3 to 4.3 percent over 12 months, depending on building type. “While the gap is beginning to narrow just a bit, prices for most construction materials have risen far more during the past year than the amount contractors can charge for completing construction projects,” said … Read more

Construction employment declined in 153 out of 337 metropolitan areas between September 2010 and September 2011, increased in 145 and stayed level in 39, according to a new analysis of federal employment data released today by the Associated General Contractors of America. Association officials noted that declines in publicly funded construction projects continue to offset modest improvements in the private sector market. “Despite the fact the industry added 26,000 new jobs in September, industry employment continues to fall in far too many metro areas,” said Ken Simonson, the association's chief economist. “Construction demand in many parts of the country seems … Read more

Industry Unemployment Rate Drops to 13.3 Percent Construction employers added 26,000 jobs between August and September as the industry's unemployment rate dropped to 13.3 percent, according to an analysis of new federal employment data released by the Associated General Contractors of America. Association officials said the increase is the first significant change in construction-employment levels since February and reflects growing private sector demand for nonresidential construction projects. “These numbers give us a taste for how investing in construction activity can really boost overall employment figures,” said Stephen E. Sandherr, the association's chief executive officer. “However, the real question is whether … Read more