Take a look at the top stories, information, and updates our membership needs to know to stay ahead in this competitive industry.
The construction industry enters 2026 with virtually no momentum. The industry lost 11,000 jobs in December and added just 14,000 jobs across the entirety of 2025. Excluding pandemic-stricken 2020, that
Grand Rapids, MI — December 5, 2025 — Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) Western Michigan, in partnership with the West Michigan Construction Institute (WMCI), hosted its Annual Craft Competition on Friday,
The longest shutdown of the U.S. government, spanning 43 days from October 1st to November 12th—has ended, yet it will take several more weeks before public data releases resume. For
Nationwide construction spending has now declined in each of the past nine months and is down more than 3 percent since reaching an all-time high in August 2024. While much
The construction industry, much like the broader economy, entered 2025 with ample—and somewhat surprising—momentum. Construction activity remained elevated despite a prolonged period of high interest rates, inflation had slowed considerably
The construction industry retained a surprising level of momentum in 2024; construction spending currently stands just below the highest level on record, contractors added jobs at a faster-than-economywide-pace throughout the
Thirty months after the Federal Reserve began raising interest rates to suppress inflation, it reduced the target range of the Federal Funds Rate by 50 basis points at its September
The construction industry appears to be one of the few bright spots in an otherwise shaky economic landscape. According to the latest data released by the U.S. Bureau of Labor
By Anirban Basu, ABC’s Chief Economist Despite high interest rates and tight lending standards, ongoing labor shortages, slumping activity in the retail, commercial, and multifamily segments, and relatively elevated materials
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