34 states add jobs; PPIs for new buildings and construction inputs each rise 0.8%Editor’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.Seasonally adjusted construction employment rose in 34 states from November 2015 to November 2016, declined in 14 states, and held steady in Montana, Nebraska and the District of Columbia, an AGC analysis of Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) data released today showed. Nevada led in percentage gain (12%, 8,400 jobs), followed by Iowa (10%, 8,300), Washington (9.4%, 16,500), Oregon (8.4%, 7,000) and Colorado (8.3%, 12,800). The most jobs added were again in California (35,100 jobs, 4.7%), Florida (23,200, 5.3%), Washington and Colorado. Kansas again had the steepest percentage loss (-5.9%, -3,600), followed by Wyoming (-5.7%, -1,300), Alabama (-4.4%, -3,600), Connecticut (-3.8%, -2,200), Maine (-3.7%, -2,200) and Kentucky (-2.9%, -2,200). New York lost the most jobs (-6,400, -1.7%), followed by Alabama and Kansas, then Kentucky and Connecticut. For the month, employment rose in 29 states and D.C., and shrank in 21 states. (AGC's rankings are based on seasonally adjusted data, which in D.C. and six states is available only for construction, mining and logging combined.)The producer price index (PPI) for final demand in November, not seasonally adjusted, increased 0.1% from October and 1.3% year-over-year (y/y) from November 2015, the BLS reported on Wednesday. AGC posted tables and an explanation focusing on construction prices and costs.
Employment hits eight-year high in November; spending, job openings rise in OctoberEditor’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.Help AGC generate a comprehensive construction business outlook for 2017 by taking our survey. Nonfarm payroll employment in November increased by 178,000, seasonally adjusted, from October and by 2,343,000 (1.6%) year-over-year (y/y), the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported on December 2. The unemployment rate (4.6%) decreased from 4.9% in October. Construction employment (6,704,000) increased by 19,000 from October and by 155,000 (2.4%) over 12 months to the highest level since November 2008. Residential construction employment (residential building and specialty trade contractors) rose by 19,600 for the month and 120,400 (4.8%) y/y.
December 12, 2016
Fewer metros add construction jobs in October; Dodge, Beige Book report mixed startsEditor’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.Help AGC generate a comprehensive construction business outlook for 2017 by taking their 2017 Construction Industry Hiring and Business Outlook survey.Construction employment, not seasonally adjusted, increased from October 2015 to October 2016 in 223 (62%) of the 358 metro areas (including divisions of larger metros) for which the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) provides construction employment data, decreased in 73 (20%) and was stagnant in 62, according to an AGC release and map on Tuesday.(BLS combines mining and logging with construction in most metros.) Two metro areas tied for the most jobs added (10,800 combined jobs): Denver-Aurora-Lakewood (an 11% increase) and Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford (17%); they were followed by Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale (9,900 construction jobs, 10%), the Anaheim-Santa Ana-Irvine, Calif. division (9,000 construction jobs, 10%) and Las-Vegas-Henderson-Paradise (8,500 construction jobs, 16%).
December 01, 2016
Job growth continues in 35 states; PPIs remain mild; multifamily market appears to slowEditor’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.Seasonally adjusted construction employment rose in 35 states from September 2015 to September 2016, declined in 14 states and the District of Columbia, and held steady in West Virginia, an AGC analysis of Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) data released on Friday showed. Iowa again led in percentage gain (13%, 10,400 jobs), followed by Nevada (13%, 9,200), Colorado (11%, 16,400) and Washington (10%, 17,300). The most jobs added were again in California (34,100 jobs, 4.6%) and Florida (28,400, 6.6%), followed by Washington and Colorado. Kansas had the steepest percentage loss (-7.6%, -4,700), followed by Maine (-7.5%, -2,000), Wyoming (-7.4%, -1,700) and Delaware (-6.0%, -1,300). Illinois lost the most jobs (-5,500, -2.5%), followed by Kansas, Kentucky (-3,500, -4.5%) and Pennsylvania (-3,000, -1.3%). For the month, employment rose in 23 states and D.C., shrank in 23 states and was unchanged in four. (AGC's rankings are based on seasonally adjusted data, which in D.C., Delaware and five other states is available only for construction, mining and logging combined.) The PPI for final demand in October, not seasonally adjusted, was unchanged from September and increased 0.8% year-over-year (y/y) from October 2015, the BLS reported on Wednesday.
November 23, 2016
Voters pass numerous construction ballot and bond measures; job openings riseEditor’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.Voters approved several long-term measures to increase local sales taxes for public construction and operations on Tuesday. Los Angeles and San Diego voters each approved measures to raise the sales tax rate ½-cent in 2017 to generate $120 billion and $18 billion, respectively, over 40 years. In Los Angeles, construction would begin on $2.5 billion each in 2018 and 2019 on projects including local street improvements. Spending in San Diego would include transit and road projects. Atlanta-area voters approved varying amounts of sales tax increases for expanding and improving mass transit and other transportation.
November 15, 2016
Construction employment grows in October; spending slips 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 in October increased by 161,000, seasonally adjusted, from September and by 2,357,000 (1.7%) year-over-year (y/y), the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported today. The unemployment rate (4.9%) inched down from 5.0% in September. Construction employment (6,679,000) increased by 11,000 from September and by 195,000 (3.0%) over 12 months to the highest level since December 2008. Residential construction employment (residential building and specialty trade contractors) rose by 4,500 for the month and 139,700 (5.6%) y/y.
November 07, 2016
Construction pay appears to dip; other costs are mixed; injury rate declines againEditor’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.Compensation costs (wages, salaries and benefits, including required employer payments such as unemployment and workers compensation) in private industry in the third quarter of 2016 (Q3) increased 0.5%, seasonally adjusted (after rising 0.5% in Q2), and 2.3% over 12 months, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported today. Wages and salaries also rose 0.5% in Q3 (vs. 0.6% in Q2) and 2.4% over 12 months.
October 31, 2016
35 states add jobs in September; Dodge predicts starts will rise in 2017; ABI slips againEditor’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.Seasonally adjusted construction employment rose in 35 states from August 2015 to August 2016 and fell in 15 states and the District of Columbia, an AGC analysis of Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) data released on Friday showed. Iowa again led in percentage gain (18%, 13,700 jobs), followed by Colorado (13%, 19,400), Hawaii (11%, 3,900) and Idaho (11%, 4,200). The most jobs added were again in California (30,900 jobs, 4.2%), Florida (22,800, 5.2%) and Colorado. Wyoming had the steepest percentage loss (-9.2%, -2,100), followed by Kansas (-7.7%, -4,700), Montana (-6.9%, -1,800) and North Dakota (-6.3%, -2,100). Kansas lost the most jobs, followed by Alabama (-3,500, -4.3%) and Pennsylvania (-2,600, -1.1%). For the month, employment rose in 21 states and D.C., shrank in 24 states and was unchanged in five. (AGC's rankings are based on seasonally adjusted data, which in D.C., Hawaii and five other states is available only for construction, mining and logging combined.)Dodge Data & Analytics released its 2017 construction outlook on Thursday, forecasting that "total U.S. construction starts for 2017 will advance 5%..., following gains of 11% in 2015 and an estimated 1% in 2016.
October 26, 2016
PPIs edge mostly higher; starts reports are mixed; union pay agreements trend upEditor’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 PPI for final demand in September, not seasonally adjusted, increased 0.2% from August and 0.7% year-over-year (y/y) from September 2015, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported on 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, edged up 0.1% for the month and 0.8% y/y. The 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—rose 0.7% y/y. Changes ranged from 0.1% y/y for industrial building construction to 0.4% for schools, 0.5% for healthcare buildings, 1.1% for warehouses and 1.2% for office buildings.
October 20, 2016
September employment hits highest level since 2008; August spending slidesEditor’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 in September increased by 156,000, seasonally adjusted, from August and by 2,447,000 (1.7%) year-over-year (y/y), the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported today. The unemployment rate (5.0%) inched up from 4.9% in August, as the number of jobseekers increased more than hiring. Construction employment (6,669,000) increased by 23,000 from the upwardly revised August total to the highest level since December 2008. Over the past 12 months, industry employment rose by 218,000 or 3.4%, twice as fast as total nonfarm employment. Residential construction employment (residential building and specialty trade contractors) rose by 15,700 for the month and 146,000 (5.9%) y/y.
October 11, 2016
