Tag: construction industry: Page 11

Business

Construction spending falls 0.6% in June as government spending falls to lowest level since 2006

Snapping two consecutive months of increases, U.S. construction spending fell 0.6 percent in June to $884 billion due to larger decreases in nonresidential and government spending. The decline is the biggest seen in the last five months. Government construction spending fell 1.1 percent in June to $261 billion—it’s lowest level since 2006. Public residential construction […]

August 1, 2013

Business

Southeast Wisconsin construction projects delayed by skilled labor shortage

Add southeast Wisconsin to the list of places in the U.S. feeling the impact of a skilled labor shortage in construction. The Janesville Gazette reports that contractors in that area are “busier than they’ve been in a long time,” thanks to numerous housing starts popping up. The Gazette interviewed contractor Kevin Ferguson, owner of Ferguson […]

July 15, 2013

Business

Construction adds 13k jobs in June, unemployment drops to 9.8%

U.S. construction added 13,000 jobs in June, giving the industry its highest employment total in nearly four years. The total number of Americans employed by the industry stands at 5.812 million, according to preliminary data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. That’s the highest employment the industry has seen since 5.851 million Americans were employed […]

July 5, 2013

Workforce

Construction industry lobbyists continue to fight for more guest worker visas as immigration bill moves to House

As the House of Representatives prepares to consider the immigration bill that recently passed the Senate, construction industry lobbyists are preparing for their final chance to increase the limit on guest worker visas offered to the industry. According to a report from the Washington Post, construction industry advocates say more than 200,000 new workers will […]

July 1, 2013

Business

Construction spending up 0.5% in May to nearly 4-year high behind rise in government spending

Spending on construction projects in the U.S. saw a second consecutive month of gains in May, rising 0.5 percent to a nearly four-year high, according to new data released by the U.S. Commerce Department Monday. Spending rose from the revised April figure to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $875 billion. That mark is 5.4 percent higher […]

July 1, 2013

Pickups

Builder Confidence Hits Milestone

Construction Industry Moving Forward   Builder confidence in the market for newly-built single-family homes hit a significant milestone in June, surging eight points to a reading of 52 on the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) and Wells Fargo Housing Market Index (HMI) released today. Any reading over 50 indicates that more builders view sales […]

June 17, 2013

Workforce

Construction industry adds 7k jobs in May, unemployment drops to lowest rate in nearly 5 years

The construction industry added 7,000 jobs in May to reach its highest total of workers in nearly four years, according to data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Preliminary data from the BLS showed that the industry lost 6,000 jobs in April. But a revision reduced that loss to 2,000, meaning if May’s gains […]

June 7, 2013

Workforce

European neighbors look to Germany’s vocational training system in order to combat high youth unemployment rates

As of late, Germany has been receiving a lot of attention and praise for its dual-education system. A system the country credits for its very low 8-percent youth unemployment rate. For comparison, as outlined in a great new article from The Economist, European counterparts Spain and Italy have youth unemployment rates of 56 percent and […]

June 4, 2013

Business

Construction spending up 0.4% in April despite another dip in government spending

Spending on construction projects in the United States rose 0.4 percent in April, continuing a volatile trend in 2013 of ups and downs, according to data released by the U.S. Commerce Department Monday. After dropping 4 percent in January, spending rose in February only to drop again in March. But in April things are back […]

June 3, 2013

Business

AED and 17 construction industry groups call for House to support approval of Keystone XL pipeline

In a letter addressed to Speaker of the House John Boehner, R-Ohio, and Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi of California, the Associated Equipment Distributers and 17 other construction industry associations and unions called for the House of Representatives to approve a bill that would negate the need for President Barack Obama to sign off on the […]

May 22, 2013

Business

Construction economists: spending on slow upward march, housing has long way to go

There are several pluses and minuses in today’s construction spending front, although the overall picture is trending upwards, agreed three construction economists participating in a Reed Construction Data forecast webinar today. “Construction is growing, but it is growing unevenly,” said Ken Simonson, chief economist for the Associated General Contractors of America. Simonson sees growth in […]

May 10, 2013

Business

Construction fuel consumption dips 0.9% in March

Fuel consumption by the construction industry fell month-t0-month in March by 0.9 percent, according to the latest WEX Construction Fuel Consumption Index. Annually, the index expanded and was up by 1.9 percent over March 2012. That marks the sixth consecutive month of annual growth for the index. The index measures national fuel consumption statistics for the […]

May 10, 2013