Articles Tagged with ''ABC (Associated Builders and Contractors)''

Commercial construction contractors are ending 2025 with stable backlogs and measured optimism. With the federal shutdown halting official economic data, private indicators point to steady activity but uneven growth across sectors heading into 2026.

The construction industry reported just 188,000 job openings in August—the lowest level in over a decade—as hiring and spending continue to decline, according to an Associated Builders and Contractors analysis.

Contractors report a shift in market momentum, with survey data showing signs of pressure in some sectors even as confidence holds above growth thresholds.

Producer prices fell in August, but construction input costs climbed as metals and diesel rose. With jobs revised lower, contractors face uneven pressures closing out 2025.

The construction industry shed 7,000 jobs in August—its third consecutive monthly decline—though unemployment fell to a record-tying low of 3.2 percent as labor shortages persist.

In July, Associated Builders and Contractors reported that construction backlogs rose to 8.8 months—driven by infrastructure and data center projects—while contractor confidence slipped, especially on profit margins, amid rising material costs and tariff-related price increases.

July’s payrolls grew by a meager 73,000, falling short of expectations; May and June numbers were each revised downward, while earnings remained flat.

Hiring in the U.S. construction sector remained sluggish in June, reflecting ongoing uncertainty and cautious sentiment across the industry.

The associated group reports its CBI rose in June.