Construction Economic News

The project stress index composite represents an equal-weight measure of the seasonally adjusted level of pre-construction projects that have experienced a delayed bid date, have been placed on hold, or have been abandoned in the last 30-days. For the week ending November 20th,

Project Stress Index registered 120.2, indicating that last week’s project stress conditions were 20.2% above their 2021 average level.

Project Stress Index registered 120.2, indicating that last week’s project stress conditions were 20.2% above their 2021 average level.

The latest Employment Situation Report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics speaks of a +150,000 gain in the total number of U.S. jobs in October. That figure on its own is ho-hum. It is the second lowest monthly increase since pandemic days. (June of this year was weaker at +105,000).

Project Stress Index registered 120.2, indicating that last week’s project stress conditions were 20.2% above their 2021 average level.

Project Stress Index Moves Higher On Rising Abandoned Project Readings: 122.7, +3.4%

COMPOSITE OVERVIEW: The project stress index composite represents an equal-weight measure of the seasonally adjusted level of pre-construction projects that have experienced a delayed bid date, have been placed on hold, or have been abandoned in the last 30-days. For the week ending October 15th, 2023, the Index registered 118.3, signaling a stress level approximately 18% above the average 2021 weekly reading. The Index decreased by 0.5% week over week resulting primarily from a decline in the level of bid date delayed projects. This movement overshadowed minor changes in the level of on hold and abandoned project levels. The latest result ends a two-month long trend of sequentially higher stress readings in which abandoned and on hold projects grew rapidly. Additional weeks of measurements will determine if this week’s pause in rising stress readings represents a temporary pause in a broader run-up, a plateau, or the beginning of a decline in construction stress.