Click on image to view more information.November PPIs rise for new buildings, some subcontractors, but fall for many inputsEditor’s note:  Construction Citizen is proud to partner with AGC America to bring you AGC Chief Economist Ken Simonson's Data DIGest. Check back each week to get Ken's expert analysis of what's happening in our industry.The producer price index (PPI) for final demand in November was unchanged from October on a not-seasonally-adjusted basis (up 0.3%, seasonally adjusted) and declined 1.1% year-over-year (y/y), the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported Friday. AGC posted tables and an explanation focusing on construction prices and costs. Final demand includes goods, services and five types of nonresidential buildings that BLS says make up 34% of total construction. The PPI for final demand construction, not seasonally adjusted, decreased 0.3% for the month and increased 2.1% y/y. The overall PPI for new nonresidential building construction—a measure of the price that contractors say they would charge to build a fixed set of five categories of buildings—climbed 2.0% since November 2014. The 12-month increases ranged from 1.0% for healthcare construction to 1.9% for industrial buildings, 2.2% for schools and warehouses, and 2.3% for offices.   

Click on image to view more information.Value of starts jumps in October, Dodge says; costs edge up in November, IHS findsEditor’s note:  Construction Citizen is proud to partner with AGC America to bring you AGC Chief Economist Ken Simonson's Data DIGest. Check back each week to get Ken's expert analysis of what's happening in our industry.The value of new construction starts in October increased 13% from September's level at a seasonally adjusted annual rate, Dodge Data & Analytics reported on November 20, based on data it collected. "The increase follows the lackluster performance for construction starts during August and September, when activity fell to the lowest levels reported so far in 2015. Much of October's gain for total construction was due to a sharp [32%] rebound by nonresidential building, with additional support coming from a moderate [9%] upturn for housing as the result of further strengthening by multifamily housing...The nonbuilding construction sector (public works and electric utilities/gas plants) settled back [-3%] in October, reflecting a decreased amount of power plant projects. During the first 10 months of 2015, total construction starts on an unadjusted basis were...up 10% from the same period a year ago. Leaving out the volatile electric utility and gas plant category, which was boosted in early 2015 by the start of several massive liquefied natural gas terminals, total construction starts during the first 10 months of 2015 would be up 4% relative to last year," with nonbuilding up 2%, residential building up 15% and nonresidential building down 6%.  

Employment strengthens in October; ABI, housing starts pick up in SeptemberEditor’s note:  Construction Citizen is proud to partner with AGC America to bring you AGC Chief Economist Ken Simonson's Data DIGest. Check back each week to get Ken's expert analysis of what's happening in our industry.Nonfarm payroll employment increased by 271,000 in October, seasonally adjusted, and by 2,814,000 (2.0%) year-over-year (y/y), while the unemployment rate dropped to a 7-1/2 year low of 5.0%, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported on Friday. Construction employment rose by 31,000 for the month (to 6,434,000) and by 233,000 (3.8%) over 12 months.   

Construction input PPIs dive; Census probes where workers went; M&A activity is mixedEditor’s note: Construction Citizen is proud to partner with AGC America to bring you AGC Chief Economist Ken Simonson's Data DIGest. Check back each week to get Ken's expert analysis of what's happening in our industry.The producer price index (PPI) for final demand skidded 0.7% in September and 1.1% over 12 months, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported on Wednesday. AGC posted tables and an explanation focusing on construction prices and costs. Final demand includes goods, services and five types of nonresidential buildings that BLS says make up 34% of total construction. The PPI for final demand construction, not seasonally adjusted, was flat in September and rose 1.8% over 12 months. The overall PPI for new nonresidential building construction—a measure of the price that contractors say they would charge to build a fixed set of five categories of buildings—also climbed 1.8% since September 2014. The 12-month increases ranged from 0.2% for healthcare construction to 1.8% for schools, 1.9% for warehouses and industrial buildings, and 2.4% for offices.