Economy

Dodge Momentum Index Increases in November
Written by Sandy Williams
December 8, 2018
Planning for new commercial building projects drove a 5.3 percent increase for the Dodge Momentum Index, resulting in a reading of 159.7 in November. The Momentum Index is a monthly measure of the first (or initial) report for nonresidential building projects in planning, which have been shown to lead construction spending for nonresidential buildings by a full year. The commercial component of the index rebounded 9.4 percent from recent declines, but was still below this year’s spring and summer levels. Dodge Analytics sees that as a sign the commercial building sector may be reaching a peak.
Planning for institutional projects was generally stable in 2018 due to public funding for schools and transportation terminals. The institutional component of the Index dipped 0.6 percent last month.
Dodge Data & Analytics reported that 13 projects valued at $100 million or more entered the planning stage in November.
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Sandy Williams
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