ONLY FIVE OUT OF THE NATION'S LARGEST 337 COMMUNITIES SEE ANNUAL INCREASE IN CONSTRUCTION EMPLOYMENT THIS OCTOBER
 1,900 Construction Jobs Added in Those Five Areas While 1.1 Million Workers Lose Jobs Nationwide As Employment Picture Continues to Deteriorate

ARLINGTON, VA - Only five out of 337 metropolitan areas saw an increase in construction employment between October 2008 and October 2009 according to a new analysis of metropolitan area employment data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics released today by the Associated General Contractors of America. Meanwhile, construction employment nationally tumbled by 1.1 million jobs over the past 12 months alone, with 328 metro areas reporting losses. Construction employment was unchanged in four metros.

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The value of new construction starts climbed 12% in October, at a seasonally adjusted annual rate (SAAR), McGraw-Hill Construction (MHC) reported on Friday, based on data it compiled. "The upward push came from double-digit gains for nonresidential building and nonbuilding construction (public works and electric utilities) . At the same time, residential building in October was unchanged from its September pace."

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The return to standard time at the beginning of November brings this old mnemonic to mind. It also seems to apply, in another sense, to the latest construction spending data.

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AS CONSTRUCTION WORKERS SUFFER EVEN MORE JOB LOSSES IN 49 STATES & DC IN OCTOBER, JOBS BILL MUST ADDRESS HARDEST HIT SECTOR

Nevada and Arizona Experience Largest Declines, Only North Dakota Adds Construction Jobs this Year

Construction workers continued to suffer dramatic job losses as all but one state saw declines in construction employment this October compared to last year, according to an analysis of new state-by-state employment figures released today by the federal government.  The analysis, conducted by the Associated General Contractors of America, points to the need for Washington officials to include new infrastructure investments as they consider proposals for a new "jobs" bill.

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The producer price index (PPI) for finished goods climbed 0.4% in October, not seasonally adjusted, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported on Tuesday. The PPI for inputs to construction industries, a weighted average of materials used in every type of construction, including diesel fuel and other items consumed by contractors, fell 0.2% for the month and 5.8% compared to October 2008. As usual, there was wide variation in PPIs for different inputs. The PPI for diesel fuel jumped 5.1% for the month but fell 28% year-over-year; steel mill products, 2.7% and -25%; plastic construction products, 0.3% and -1.8%; concrete products, -0.4% and -0.9%; aluminum mill shapes, -0.7% and -16%; gypsum products, -1.9% and -7.2%; copper and brass mill shapes, -3.3% and 3.7%. PPIs for new nonresidential buildings, which include contractors' overhead and profit, generally fell for the one- and 12-month periods: industrial buildings, -0.1% and -4.5%; office, -0.2% and -3.4%; warehouses, -1.1% and -4.6%. But the PPI for new school construction rose 0.7% and 1.6%. PPIs for nonresidential building subcontractors were mixed: plumbing contractors, 1.1% and 1.5%; electrical, 0.8% and -2.5%; roofing, 0.3% and 3.2%; and concrete, -1.3% and -1.6%.

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AGC has compiled tables of PPIs for construction materials and segments as well as analysis. The data is from the Bureau of Labor Statistics monthly report and covers over 50 construction specific data series.

View AGC Chief Economist Ken Simonson's presentation on the outlook for construction activity, materials and labor.

CONSTRUCTION UNEMPLOYMENT SURGES TO 18.7 PERCENT AS ANOTHER 62,000 CONSTRUCTION WORKERS LOSE THEIR JOBS IN OCTOBER

Extension of Home Buyers' Tax Credit, Expansion of Carryback of Net Operating Losses to Provide Some Help for the 1.6 Million Construction Workers who Lost Jobs Since December '07

Construction workers continued to suffer more job losses than any other sector as new federal figures out today show another 62,000 lost their jobs in October while construction unemployment surged to 18.7 percent.  The figures show that additional measures to stimulate construction demand like the recently passed extension of the home buyers' tax credit and expansion of carryback for net operating losses are needed, the Associated General Contractors of America said.

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NO RECOVERY YET FOR CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY AS LATEST FIGURES SHOW DOUBLE DIGIT DROPS IN SPENDING COMPARED TO LAST YEAR

Congress and Administration Must Embrace Pro-Growth Measures to Stem Private Spending Declines of Over 20 Percent to Avoid Greater Job Losses, Nation's Contractors Urge

The construction industry continues to suffer from significant declines in privately-funded construction investments, with new federal figures showing private construction investments declined by 20.6 percent between September 2008 and September 2009.  The new Census Bureau figures show there's no sign of an economic recovery yet for the nation's construction industry, the Associated General Contractors of America noted today.

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