Construction + Economy

Following a run-up of more than 20 points in January and February to its highest level in more than six years, NEMA’s Electroindustry Business Confidence Index (EBCI) for current North American conditions retreated slightly in March, slipping 0.5 points to 72. The survey’s measure of the degree of change in current North American conditions remained [...]

Construction spending during January 2012 was estimated at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $827 billion, 0.1% below the revised December estimate of $827.6 billion, and 7.1% above the January 2011 estimate of $772.0 billion, according to new Commerce Department figures. PRIVATE CONSTRUCTION Spending on private construction was at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of [...]

NEMA’s Electroindustry Business Confidence Index (EBCI) for current North American conditions jumped sharply in February, rising more than 18 points to 72.5, its highest level in more than six years. Meanwhile, the EBCI for future North American conditions, though remaining firmly positive, retreated slightly in February. The index slipped a little more than 4 points [...]

More good economic news … On the heels of consecutive months of strengthening business conditions, the Architecture Billings Index (ABI), a leading economic indicator of construction activity produced by the American Institute of Architects (AIA), has now reached positive territory three months in a row. The ABI reflects the approximate 9- to 12-month lag time [...]

Construction spending during December 2011 was estimated at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $816.4 billion, 1.5% (±1.4%) above the revised November estimate of $804 billion, according to the Department of Commerce. The December figure is 4.3% (±1.9%) above the December 2010 estimate of $782.9 billion. The value of construction in 2011 was $787.4 billion, [...]

The Lighting Controls Association has published a new whitepaper by this blogger summarizing construction forecasts for 2012. This construction outlook reviews the year’s top line construction numbers, shows where leading construction and electrical industry indicators are trending, and provides a summary of the latest AIA Consensus Construction Forecast for 2011. Although the national economic recovery [...]

NEMA’s Electroindustry Business Confidence Index (EBCI) for current North American conditions edged higher in January, rising to 54.2 from December’s reading of 52. It was the fourth straight month in which the index exceeded the 50-point mark, above which more panelists than not report an improved business environment. January’s EBCI for future North American conditions [...]

Construction spending totaled $807 billion in November 2011, the highest level since June 2010, as homebuilding, private nonresidential construction and public construction all increased compared to October, based on Department of Commerce data. “Several segments of construction appear to be climbing out of a hole,” said Associated General Contractors of America Chief Economist Ken Simonson. [...]

After showing struggling business conditions for most of 2011, the Architecture Billings Index (ABI) has now reached positive terrain in consecutive months. As a leading economic indicator of construction activity, the ABI reflects the approximate 9- to 12-month lag time between architecture billings and construction spending. The regional and sector categories are calculated as a [...]