Construction input prices rose on a monthly basis in March for the rst time in nine months according to an Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) analysis of the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Producer Price Index. Input prices expanded 0.9 per cent on a monthly basis in March but are still down 3.4 per cent on a year-over-year basis.
Nonresidential construction input prices behaved similarly, expanding 1 per cent for the month but down 3.5 per cent from a year ago. The monthly price gain was largely driven by crude petroleum, which expanded 40.7 per cent for the month, the largest increase since BLS began tracking the series in August 1991.
US Construction Input Prices: March 2016
Three key input prices rose in February on a monthly basis said the Associated Builders and Contractors: • Iron and steel prices rose 1.6 per cent month-over-month but have declined 14.7% year-over-year.
• Softwood lumber prices were up 2.8% for the month but have fallen 1.6% from the same time last year.
• Concrete product prices edged up 0.8% month-over-month and are up 3% year-over-year.
US Producer Prices, Building Materials: March 2016
In The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) monthly Producer Price Indexes (PPI) report, declining prices in the ser- vice sector drove prices received by producers 0.1% in March. However, a 1.8% increase in energy goods spurred a 0.2% increase in goods, said the National Association of Home Builders Friday. For products used by builders, producer prices were a mixed bag:
Softwood lumber prices rose 2.8% in March but have largely hovered in the current range over the last six months.
Oriented Strand Board prices declined for the fourth straight month in March. OSB prices have given back roughly a third of the 25% increase since mid-2015.
Gypsum prices moved sideways in February and March but are in the range sustained through 2014 and 2015.
US Construction Industry Growth Forecast 2015-2019
The Construction Market Outlook in the US to grow at a CAGR of 4.5% over the period 2014-2019, according to ResearchMoz’s Latest Research Report titled “Construction Market in the US 2015-2019: Worldwide Market Size, Shares, Trends, Growth, Survey and Forecast”
The report covers the current scenario and the growth prospects of the construction market outlook in the US for the period 2015-2019. The market size has been calculated on the basis of the historical contribution of construction to GDP and also considering the current and upcoming construction projects planned in the country.
US Construction Confidence Index: Second Half 2015
Associated Builders and Contractors’ (ABC) Construction Confidence Index (CCI) showed a slight dip in the second half of 2015, although all three components of the index showed optimism for continued economic growth. The diffusion index measures forward-looking construction industry expectations in sales, profit margins and staffing levels, with readings above 50 indicating growth.
• Sales expectations fell from 69.4 to 67.0
• Pro t margin expectations edged lower from 62.9 to 62.8 • Staffing level intentions dipped from 66.2 to 63.9.
