Economy
ABI Rebounds in September
Written by Sandy Williams
October 22, 2015
The September Architecture Billings Index rebounded from August’s dip into negative territory. September’s ABI score was 53.7 up from 49.1 the previous month, continuing the see-saw pattern the index has shown throughout 2015.
“Aside from uneven demand for design services in the Northeast, all regions are project sectors are in good shape,” said AIA Chief Economist Kermit Baker, Hon. AIA, PhD. “Areas of concern are shifting to supply issues for the industry, including volatility in building materials costs, a lack of a deep enough talent pool to keep up with demand, as well as a lack of contractors to execute design work.”
The design contracts index was at 53.2 in September.
Regionally, the South, Midwest and West all posted above the 50 neutral point in September. The Northeast, however, continued to show weak business conditions. The regional averages were: South (54.5), Midwest (54.2), West (51.7), Northeast (43.7).
The breakdown by sector was: mixed practice (52.6), institutional (51.5), commercial / industrial (50.9) multi-family residential (49.5).
The ABI, a diffusion index published monthly by the American Institute of Architects, reflects the nine to twelve month lead time between architecture billings and nonresidential construction spending. A score above 50 indicates an increase in billings. The regional and sector categories are calculated as a 3-month moving average, whereas the national index, design contracts and inquiries are monthly numbers.
Below is a graph showing the history of The Architecture Billings Index. You will need to view the graph on our website to use it’s interactive features, you can do so by clicking here. If you need assistance with either logging in or navigating the website, please contact our office at 800-432-3475 or info@SteelMarketUpdate.com.
Sandy Williams
Read more from Sandy WilliamsLatest in Economy
Steel Summit: ITR economist urges execs to prepare for growth, not recession
If the steel industry professionals who made it to the very final presentation of this year’s SMU Steel Summit were expecting another round of cautious forecasting, they were in for a surprise. Because what they got was a wake-up call.
ISM: Manufacturing growth remained down in August
US manufacturing activity remained muted in August despite a marginal gain from July's recent low, according to supply executives contributing to the Institute for Supply Management (ISM)’s latest report.
Steel Summit: Dr. Basu blames tariffs for riskier path ahead
Steel executives packed the main conference hall of the 2025 SMU Steel Summit on Tuesday, Aug. 26, to hear economist Dr. Anirban Basu lay out his blunt view of tariffs, inflation, and demand.
Steel Summit: Schneider sees SDI ‘on the edge of a very good run’
Steel Dynamics Inc. (SDI) President and Chief Operating Officer, Barry Schneider, remains bullish about the Fort Wayne, Ind.-based steelmaker’s position in the current market.
US housing starts gain momentum in July
US housing starts rose in July both month-on-month and year-on-year, according to figures from the US Census Bureau.