A Sustainable Workforce Starts With You

Ken Simonson's blog

AGC's Data DIGest: April 24-May 11, 2018

Construction goods, labor costs accelerate, employment rises in April; March spending falls

The producer price index (PPI) for final demand in April, not seasonally adjusted, rose 0.1% from March and 2.6% year-over-year (y/y) from April 2017, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported on Wednesday. AGC posted tables and an explanation focusing on construction prices and costs. [node:read-more:link]


AGC's Data DIGest: April 9-13, 2018

Construction-input PPIs jump in March, outpace contractors' prices; job openings climb

The producer price index (PPI) for final demand in March, not seasonally adjusted, rose 0.5% from February and 3.0% year-over-year (y/y) from March 2017, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported on Tuesday. 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 31% of total construction. [node:read-more:link]


AGC's Data DIGest: April 3-6, 2018

Employment dips in March but rises for year; most metros have gains through February
Nonfarm payroll employment in March increased by 103,000, seasonally adjusted, from February and by 2,261,000 (1.5%) year-over-year (y/y) since March 2017, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported today. The unemployment rate remained at a 17-year low of 4.1% for the sixth month in a row.

AGC's Data DIGest: March 26-April 2, 2018

February construction spending edges up; retail, warehouse trends continue to diverge

Construction spending totaled $1.273 trillion at a seasonally adjusted annual rate in February, up 0.1% from the upwardly revised January rate and up 3.0% from February 2017, the Census Bureau reported today. Public construction declined 2.1% for the month but increased 1.6% year-over-year (y/y). Of the three largest public segments, highway and street construction fell 0.2% for the month and 5.1% y/y; educational construction slipped 0.5% from January but increased 3.0% y/y; and transportation dropped 2.2% for the month but increased 9.2% y/y, including a 35% y/y jump in state and local airport construction and an 8% decrease in other public transportation (port, transit and passenger rail) construction. [node:read-more:link]


AGC's Data DIGest: March 19-23, 2018

February construction job increase in 35 states, D.C.; scaled-back tariffs begin, more likely

Seasonally adjusted construction employment rose in 35 states and the District of Columbia year-over-year (y/y) from February 2017 to February 2018, declined in 14 states and was unchanged in Vermont, an AGC analysis of Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) data released today showed.  [node:read-more:link]


AGC's Data DIGest: March 14-16, 2018

Construction-input PPIs escalate, outpace contractors' prices; more price hikes announced

The producer price index (PPI) for final demand in February, not seasonally adjusted, increased 0.3% from January and 2.8% year-over-year (y/y) from February 2017, 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 31% of total construction.  [node:read-more:link]


AGC's Data DIGest: March 6-13, 2018

Employment, pay jump in February; most states add jobs in January; rebar prices rise again

Nonfarm payroll employment in February increased by 313,000, seasonally adjusted, from January and by 2,281,000 (1.6%) year-over-year (y/y) since February 2017, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported on Friday. The unemployment rate remained at a 17-year low of 4.1% for the fifth month in a row. 
[node:read-more:link]


AGC's Data DIGest: Feb. 26-March 5, 2018

Spending is flat in January; steel and aluminum tariffs threaten construction budgets, jobs

President Trump announced on Wednesday that he would impose tariffs of 25% on all imported steel and 10% on all imported aluminum. The impact of tariffs is likely to be severe for construction. "The American Iron and Steel Institute estimates that 43% of U.S. steel consumption goes to the construction industry," the Wall Street Journal reported today. [node:read-more:link]