Your source for construction industry news in the Carolinas
WASHINGTON, July 30, 2020 — The U.S. economy contracted at an annualized rate of 32.9% during the second quarter of 2020, according to an Associated Builders and Contractors analysis of data released today by the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. Nonresidential and residential fixed investment contracted by 27.0 and 38.7%, respectively, while investment in nonresidential fixed…
Washington, DC – July 22, 2020 – On July 22, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Great American Outdoor Act (S. 3422/H.R. 1957), which was introduced by Sen. Cory Gardner (R-Colo.), by a vote of 310-107. The bill is expected to be signed into law by President Trump. Ahead of the vote, ABC sent…
WASHINGTON, DC – July 22, 2020 – On July 15, the Council on Environmental Quality issued a final rule on updating and modernizing its National Environmental Policy Act regulations. Following the issuance of the NEPA final rule, ABC’s Vice President of Legislative & Political Affairs Kristen Swearingen issued the following statement: “The modernization of these critical regulations…
WASHINGTON, July 14, 2020 — Associated Builders and Contractors reported today that its Construction Backlog Indicator rose to 8.1 months in June, an increase of 0.2 months from May’s reading. CBI is down approximately 8% from its June 2019 level. Every region except the Middle States experienced an increase in backlog in June compared to May,…
Charlotte, NC — ABC Carolinas recently celebrated the graduation of 11 electrical apprentices enrolled in the chapter’s four-year Apprenticeship & Craft Training Program. Be sure to check out ABC Carolinas’ slideshow tribute to the Class of 2020 apprenticeship graduates. Participants in ABC Carolinas’ educational program work full-time during the day and attend evening classes – two nights…
WASHINGTON, July 10, 2020 — Construction input prices rose 2.2% in June, according to an Associated Builders and Contractors analysis of U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Producer Price Index data released today. Nonresidential construction input prices rose by 2.3% for the month. Among the 11 subcategories, six experienced monthly increases. The increase in prices was driven…
WASHINGTON, July 6, 2020 — Associated Builders and Contractors today announced the cancellation of ABC Convention 2020, which was scheduled for Aug. 17-19 in Nashville, Tennessee. The event, which includes the National Craft Championships, Construction Management Competition and National Excellence in Construction® Awards, was previously postponed from March due to the coronavirus pandemic. “While it…
WASHINGTON, July 2, 2020 — The construction industry added 158,000 jobs on net in June, according to an Associated Builders and Contractors analysis of data released today by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. During the last two months, the industry has added 591,000 jobs, recovering 56% of the industrywide jobs lost since the start of…
WASHINGTON, July 1, 2020 — National nonresidential construction spending declined 0.9% in May, according to an Associated Builders and Contractors analysis of data published today by the U.S. Census Bureau. On a seasonally adjusted annualized basis, spending totaled $812.5 billion for the month. Private nonresidential spending declined 2.4% in May and public nonresidential construction spending increased…
On July 1, the U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R. 2, the Moving Forward Act, on a mostly party line vote of 233 to 188, with three Republicans voting for the bill and two Democrats voting against it. The House Democrats’ infrastructure plan would spend more than $1.5 trillion on surface transportation, airport, school, housing, healthcare,…
