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Ken Simonson's blog

AGC's Data DIGest: June 16-20, 2025

Starts soar in May but so do abandonments, ConstructConnect finds; steel producer prices climb

The value of construction starts, not seasonally adjusted, soared 13% year-over-year (y/y) in May but was down 0.4% year-to-date (YTD) in the first five months of 2025 compared to January-May 2024, ConstructConnect reported on Thursday. [node:read-more:link]


AGC's Data DIGest: June 9-13, 2025

Input costs accelerate in May; rebar price hike follows tariff boost; DMI rises despite data center pause

Input prices for new nonresidential construction rose 0.4% in May, not seasonally adjusted (NSA), and 2.2% year-over-year (y/y), according to producer price index (PPI) data the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) posted on Thursday. The y/y change was the largest since February 2023. [node:read-more:link]


AGC's Data DIGest: May 12-June 2, 2025

Construction spending slips in April; input prices are flat overall but rise for metals; 32 states add jobs

Construction spending (not adjusted for inflation) fell for the third month in a row in April to $2.15 trillion at a seasonally adjusted annual rate, down 0.4% from March and 0.5% year-over-year (y/y), the Census Bureau reported today. The y/y decrease was the first since 2019. [node:read-more:link]


AGC's Data DIGest: May 5-9, 2025

Trump announces end to tariffs on U.K. steel, aluminum; DMI rises in April due to data center plans

President Trump on Thursday announced a trade agreement with the United Kingdom that would remove the 25% tariff on steel and aluminum from the U.K., the first sign of tariff relief for construction inputs. The U.K. accounted for roughly 1% of U.S. steel imports (0.3% of consumption) in 2024 and a negligible share of aluminum. It remains to be seen if the agreement will lead to greater imports from the U.K. [node:read-more:link]


AGC's Data DIGest: April 22-25, 2025

Starts climb in March, Dodge says; ABI sinks again; Beige Book finds rising prices, mixed activity

Total construction starts rose 3% from February to March at a seasonally adjusted annual rate, Dodge Construction Network reported on Monday. Nonresidential building starts grew 6%, residential starts declined 5%, and nonbuilding starts increased 9%. [node:read-more:link]


AGC's Data DIGest: April 7-11, 2025

Input prices rise for third-straight month in March; tariffs remain volatile; impact varies by project type

Input prices for new nonresidential construction rose 0.4% March, not seasonally adjusted, following upwardly revised gains of 0.6% in February and 0.8% in January, according producer price index (PPI) data the Bureau of Labor Statistics posted today. [node:read-more:link]