The amount contractors pay for a range of key construction materials decreased for the second consecutive month in June and inched up by just 0.5 percent from a year earlier, according to an analysis of producer price index figures released today by the Associated General Contractors of America. Meanwhile, the amount contractors charge to construct projects was virtually unchanged for the month and rose only between 3.2 and 4.4 percent from a year ago.

Construction employment stalled in June as more former construction workers left the industry, according to an analysis of new federal data released today by the Associated General Contractors of America.  The lack of current job openings, along with the departure of experienced workers, suggests a potential skilled-labor shortage may be developing, construction association officials warned.

Construction spending in May reached the highest level since December 2009 as widespread gains in private nonresidential construction, single-family and multifamily homebuilding more than offset a continuing downturn in public construction, according to an analysis of new federal data released today by the Associated General Contractors of America.  Association officials said they expect the disparity between private and public construction is likely to persist, although enactment of a federal highway and transit bill will cushion the decline in public spending.

Construction employment declined in 164 out of 337 metropolitan areas between May 2011 and May 2012, increased in 126 and stayed stagnant in 47, according to a new analysis of federal employment data released today by the Associated General Contractors of America. Association officials said that construction employment continues to suffer even as Congress continues to debate the possible replacement for a highway and transit bill that expired over three years ago, and other infrastructure and economic measures languish.

I testified on June 20 to a hearing held by Congress’s Joint Economic Committee on the American Community Survey (ACS) and the Economic Census. AGC uses information from both sources in state fact sheets that show the role of construction in the economy and the share of small business in each state’s construction industry. I was invited as AGC’s chief economist and as the 2011-12 vice president of the National Association for Business Economics, the professional organization for people who use economic information in their workplace. 

More states lost construction jobs in May than at any point since June 2011 as 30 states experienced annual job losses and 27 states and D.C. lost jobs during the past month, according to an analysis by the Associated General Contractors of America of Labor Department data.

The amount contractors pay for a range of key construction materials edged down 0.3 percent in May and climbed by only 2.3 percent from a year earlier, according to an analysis of producer price index figures released today by the Associated General Contractors of America.

Construction employment fell in May by 28,000, the largest decline in two years, and is now at the lowest level since last August, according to an analysis of new federal data released today by AGC.  

Construction employment declined in 157 out of 337 metropolitan areas between April 2011 and April 2012, increased in 120 and stayed level in 60, according to a new analysis of federal employment data released today by AGC. Association officials said that construction employment continues to suffer from relatively weak demand being driven largely by declines in public sector investments.

Construction employment remained on a seesaw in April as only 19 states added jobs, 28 states and the District of Columbia had declines and three states maintained March employment levels, according to an analysis by AGC of Labor Department data.