The unemployment rate for construction workers fell to the lowest July level in five years last month, even though employment has stagnated in the past four months, according to an analysis of new government data by AGC of America. Association officials urged Washington leaders to act on stalled infrastructure funding measures to help jump start construction hiring.

Total construction spending cooled in June as residential building hit the pause button, while private nonresidential and public construction also declined, according to an analysis of new Census Bureau data by AGC of America. Association officials urged lawmakers in Washington to make infrastructure investment a top federal priority for the fiscal year beginning in October.

Construction employment increased in 191 out of 339 metropolitan areas between June 2012 and June 2013, declined in 97 and was flat in 51, according to a new analysis of federal employment data released today by AGC.  

At the beginning of 2013, it looked as if construction would repeat the patterns of 2012: double-digit gains in both residential and nonresidential private construction, along with a modest decline in public construction, for a 5-10 percent increase in total construction spending. Midway through the year, it appears total growth will be in that range. But the components are turning out somewhat differently.

Equal numbers of states gained and lost construction jobs in June, highlighting the fragmentary nature of the industry’s recovery, according to an analysis by AGC of America of Labor Department data. Association officials added that, despite the fact most states added jobs year-over-year, construction employment levels are below peak levels for nearly every state.

The unemployment rate for construction workers fell below double digits in June for the first time since 2008 as every segment of the industry added employees, according to an analysis of new government data by AGC of America. Association officials said the relatively positive jobs report for the sector highlights the need to address potential shortages of skilled and entry-level workers.

Total construction spending climbed modestly in May as growth in residential and public construction offset a drop in private nonresidential activity, according to an analysis of new Census Bureau data by AGC of America. Association officials predicted that spending would remain uneven through the second half of 2013.

Construction employment increased in 185 out of 339 metropolitan areas between May 2012 and May 2013, declined in 115 and was stagnant in 39, according to a new analysis of federal employment data released today by AGC of America. Association officials said the number of metro areas adding jobs, and the pace at which construction employment is expanding in those metro areas continues to grow.

Construction employment increased in a majority of states in May, setting all-time highs in Louisiana and North Dakota, according to an analysis by the Associated General Contractors of America of Labor Department data. Association officials noted that construction demand remains very uneven and urged policy makers to expedite stalled public and private projects.

The latest readings on construction employment and spending have been positive overall. But there are still plenty of reasons to be cautious about the near-term outlook. Construction employment in May inched up from April on a seasonally adjusted basis, but climbed by a relatively robust 189,000 or 3.4 percent from a year ago, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported on June 7.  A BLS report today showed that construction firms hired slightly more workers in April 2013 than in April 2012, but fewer than in March, while job openings rose from a year ago but remained unchanged from a month ago—a thoroughly mixed set of signals.