The majority of commercial and industrial contractors are confident about sales growth, profits and staffing levels heading into 2018, according to the latest Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) Construction Confidence Index (CCI). Despite rising construction labor and materials costs, 55% of contractors expect their profit margins to expand in the first half of 2018.
“There are many reasons for confidence among the nation’s construction firm leaders,” said ABC Chief Economist Anirban Basu. “American wealth has never been greater in absolute terms as the economy experiences faster wage growth, surging equity markets and rising home values. Consumer confidence is at a 17-year high, while unemployment is at a 17-year low.
“Despite the completion of approximately eight and a half years of economic recovery, both inflation and interest rates remain low,” said Basu. “The combination of elevated wealth and confidence with low borrowing costs drives spending and investment, which supports higher demand for construction services.”
All three diffusion indices in the survey remain above the threshold of 50, which signals ongoing optimism.
The CCI for sales expectations fell from 59.7 to 57;
The CCI for profit margin expectations fell from 56 to 53.5;
The CCI for staffing levels fell from 59.5 to 56.7.
In recent quarters, certain commercial segments have been prone to generate especially large increases in construction spending. These include lodging, office and amusement/recreation. Therefore, commercial contractors are particularly upbeat. Contractors whose businesses rely more heavily on public work remain less ebullient.
The following chart reflects the distribution of responses to ABC’s most recent surveys.
Related Stories
Market Data | Jul 1, 2020
7 must reads for the AEC industry today: July 1, 2020
Facebook to build $800 million data center and 329 metro areas added construction jobs in May.
Market Data | Jun 30, 2020
AIA releases strategies and illustrations for reducing risk of COVID-19 in senior living communities
Resources were developed as part of AIA’s “Reopening America: Strategies for Safer Buildings” initiative.
Market Data | Jun 30, 2020
329 metro areas added construction jobs in May
Seattle-Bellevue-Everett, Wash. added the most construction jobs (28,600, 44%) in May.
Market Data | Jun 29, 2020
6 must reads for the AEC industry today: June 29, 2020
HQ tower features gardens on every floor and the head of Hilton talks about how his business will survive.
Market Data | Jun 26, 2020
5 must reads for the AEC industry today: June 26, 2020
Restoration of 1930s El Paso hotel completes and Arc offers tools, analytics for safe workplace re-entry.
Market Data | Jun 25, 2020
Commercial Construction Index drops amid Coronavirus pandemic, but contractors poised for near-term recovery
Contractors quickly prioritized worker health and safety, and 1 in 3 plan to hire more workers in the next 6 months.
Market Data | Jun 25, 2020
7 must reads for the AEC industry today: June 25, 2020
CDC to build the most advanced high containment laboratory in the country and architecture billings downward trajectory moderates.
Market Data | Jun 24, 2020
Architecture billings downward trajectory moderates
AIA’s Architecture Billings Index (ABI) score for May was 32.0 compared to 29.5 in April, but still represents a significant decrease in services provided by U.S. architecture firms.
Market Data | Jun 24, 2020
8 must reads for the AEC industry today: June 24, 2020
San Francisco's apartment market goes in reverse and WATG designs a solution for isolating without sacrificing social connectivity.
Market Data | Jun 23, 2020
National survey reveals pandemic's impact on college students' mental health, remote learning, families' income and more
Of 2,500 student respondents, 75% feel more anxious or stressed, 57% said they lost their summer jobs and 90% want to return to campus in the fall.