Construction employment declined in 165 out of 337 metropolitan areas between July 2011 and July 2012, increased in 123 and was stagnant in 49, according to a new analysis of federal employment data released today by the Associated General Contractors of America. Association officials said that the new data comes out as many metro areas continue to struggle with constricting public sector budgets and uneven private sector growth.

Prices for a wide variety of construction materials and fuel have suddenly heated up. By documenting recent and past price changes, AGC helps members with future work, current projects and previous bids that may have been shelved.

Construction employment declined in 31 states from July 2011 to July 2012 and in 28 states in the past month, according to an analysis by the Associated General Contractors of America of Labor Department data. Association officials noted that construction employment decreased in the majority of states as public construction funding continues to shrink, offsetting gains in homebuilding and nonresidential construction.

The cost of key construction materials dropped for the third consecutive month in July, pushing down year-over-year prices for the first time since 2009, according to an analysis of producer price index figures released today by the Associated General Contractors of America.

The construction industry posted both good and mixed news last week. The outlook is for more of the same. Construction spending hit a 2-1/2 year high in June, as widespread gains in private nonresidential categories and in both single- and multifamily homebuilding overcame continued slippage in public construction. But construction employment has been stuck near a 16-year low ever since early 2010, and the July employment report showed no improvement.

Construction employment declined by 1,000 in July even though the industry’s unemployment rate fell to the lowest level since 2008, according to an analysis of new federal data released today by the Associated General Contractors of America. The sector’s unemployment rate has steadily declined since 2009 as hundreds of thousands of out-of-work construction workers have left the industry seeking other opportunities, the association’s economist cautioned.

Construction spending in June rose to a 2-1/2 year high as double-digit percentage increases in private residential and nonresidential construction more than offset an ongoing 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 and urged policy makers to put more funding into infrastructure projects.

Construction employment declined in 162 out of 337 metropolitan areas between June 2011 and June 2012, increased in 127 and stayed stagnant in 48, according to a new analysis of federal employment data released today by the Associated General Contractors of America. Association officials said that construction employment declined or remained unchanged in most metro areas as the public sector continued to cut back on investments in new construction and infrastructure and economic growth slowed.

Construction employment increased in just half the states plus the District of Columbia from June 2011 to June 2012, but declined in a slim majority of states in the past month, according to an analysis of Labor Department data by the Associated General Contractors of America. 

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.