
The Age of Uncertainty: Monitoring Construction Policy Shifts
By Anirban Basu
June 11, 2025
In both 2023 and 2024, American capitalism shrugged off higher borrowing costs as investors desperately sought higher rates of return. Certain segments, especially those pertaining or adjacent to artificial intelligence were especially strong, often taking the form of data center...

Nonresidential Construction Spending Dips 0.1% in April
By ABC
June 2, 2025
WASHINGTON, June 2—National nonresidential construction spending decreased 0.1% in April, according to an Associated Builders and Contractors analysis of data published today by the U.S. Census Bureau. On a seasonally adjusted annualized basis, nonresidential spending totaled $1....

Construction Futures: May 2025 Economic Roundup
By Construction Executive
May 27, 2025
WHAT WE LEARNED IN MAY: TRADE POLICY CONTINUES TO CLOUD OUTLOOK
Construction-specific economic data released in May provide mixed signals. Nonresidential construction spending fell sharply in April, and industrywide job openings are down significantly over the past year. At the...

Construction Materials Prices Tame in April Despite Rising Iron and Steel Costs
By ABC
May 19, 2025
WASHINGTON, May 15—Construction input prices decreased 0.1% in April compared to the previous month, according to an Associated Builders and Contractors analysis of U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Producer Price Index data. Nonresidential construction input prices increased 0.2%...

Nonresidential Construction Added Jobs in April Despite Headwinds
By ABC
May 7, 2025
WASHINGTON, May 2—The construction industry added 11,000 jobs in April, according to an Associated Builders and Contractors analysis of data released today by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. On a year-over-year basis, industry employment has grown by 143,000 jobs, an increas...

Nonresidential Construction Spending Plunges in March
By ABC
May 6, 2025
WASHINGTON, May 1—National nonresidential construction spending decreased 0.5% in March, according to an Associated Builders and Contractors analysis of data published today by the U.S. Census Bureau. On a seasonally adjusted annualized basis, nonresidential spending totaled $1.2...

Construction Job Openings Decreased by 38,000 in March
By ABC
April 30, 2025
WASHINGTON, April 29—The construction industry had 248,000 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 ...

Construction Futures: April 2025 Economic Roundup
By Construction Executive
April 28, 2025
What We Learned in April: Construction Industry Outlook Darkens
Construction-specific economic data released in April paint a somewhat upbeat picture of the industry’s recent performance. Nonresidential spending reached the highest level on record, contractors added jobs for the...

Monthly Construction Economic Survey Shows Tariff Impacts Emerge
By ABC
April 16, 2025
WASHINGTON, April 15—Associated Builders and Contractors reported today that its Construction Backlog Indicator rose to 8.5 months in March, according to an ABC member survey conducted March 20 to April 6. The reading is up 0.3 months since March 2024.
View ABC’s Construction Ba...

Recession Has Already Begun in America: Anirban Basu on State of U.S. Construction Economy After ‘Liberation Day’ Tariffs
By Construction Executive
April 4, 2025
Update as of April 10, 10:00am: Even with yesterday's pause, Basu says the effective tariff rate on U.S. imports is lower than it was Wednesday morning, but is still higher than what was originally announced on April 2, "because America imports so much from China."
However, tha...
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Construction Futures: March 2025 Economic Roundup
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Financial Foundations: Why Less Than 40% of Construction Companies Founded in 2011 Are Still Open Today
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Capitalizing on Competition: ABC 2025 Top Performers Answer Compelling Questions
By Erika Walter
ABC's 2025 Top Performer contractors share insights from their years of experience competing in this industry.