PPIs in February, prospective prices are mixed; industry execs expect increased activityEditor’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 decreased 0.3%, not seasonally adjusted (-0.5%, seasonally adjusted), in February and 0.6% over 12 months, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported Friday. AGC posted an explanation and tables 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, rose 0.2% in February and 2.0% 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—climbed 2.0% since February 2014. The 12-month increases ranged from 1.0% for healthcare construction to 1.7% for schools, 2.1% for industrial buildings, 2.2% for warehouses, and 2.5% for offices.   

Construction spending slips for month but rises year-over-year; input price cuts spreadEditor’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.Construction spending in January totaled $971 billion at a seasonally adjusted annual rate, down 1.1% from the rate in December, but up 1.8% from January 2014, the Census Bureau reported today. Private residential spending in January climbed 0.6% from December but slid 3.4% from a year earlier, while private nonresidential spending fell 1.6% for the month but rose 4.8% year-over-year. Public construction spending decreased 2.6% from December but increased 5.1% from January 2014. The largest private nonresidential segment was power construction (including conventional and renewable power plus oil and gas fields and pipelines), which plunged 13% year-over-year.   

Nonres starts, materials prices show mixed trends in January, multiple sources showEditor’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 nonresidential construction starts jumped 11% from January 2014 to January 2015, CMD (formerly Reed Construction Data) reported on Wednesday, based on data it collected. Heavy engineering starts surged 48%, while nonresidential building starts shrank 8.3%, with commercial building starts down 10% and institutional building starts up 0.1%.Investment research firm Thompson Research Group issued a summary of its monthly survey of building products firms on Wednesday. "With the precipitous drop in energy prices, we remain focused on how this impacts building product manufacturers' ability to pass on pricing.  

Employment rises in 40 states in December; materials cost reports are 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.Seasonally adjusted construction employment increased in 40 states and the District of Columbia from December 2013 to December 2014 and decreased in 10 states, an AGC analysis of Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) data released on Tuesday showed. Texas again added the most jobs (47,500 jobs, 7.7%), followed by Florida (34,300, 8.9%) and California (26,000, 4.0%). The largest percentage gains again occurred in North Dakota (26%, 8,300 jobs) and Utah (13%, 10,100), followed by Wisconsin (12.7%, 12,400) and Arkansas (12.6%, 5,800). The largest percentage losses again occurred in West Virginia (-9.1%, -3,000 jobs) and Mississippi (-7.5%, -4,000), followed by Hawaii (-4.5%, -1,400 jobs) and Arizona (-3.4%, -4,300). Arizona lost the most jobs, followed by Mississippi and West Virginia. For the month, 38 states and D.C. added construction jobs, 10 states lost jobs, and Indiana and New Mexico had no change. In much of the country, gains may have been aided by weather that was unseasonably mild in December 2014 and unusually severe in November and in December 2013.