Tag: Construction

Architecture firm billings retreated modestly in April, with the American Institute of Architects (AIA) reporting another month below the growth threshold.

The construction market is seeing activity from data centers and the energy infrastructure to support them. But other factors are dragging the sector down: The Iran war is spiking inflation; tariffs are driving up material costs; and immigration crackdowns are hurting labor.

Service centers held only 2.24 months of supply (49.3 days of supply) of sheet products in March, according to our latest figures. If you check our archives, you’ll see that's the lowest sheet inventories we’ve seen since June 2021 – which was hardly a bad year for steel.

Ken Simonson, chief economist for The Associated General Contractors of America (AGC), will join SMU for a Community Chat webinar on Wednesday, April 15, at 11 a.m. ET.

What a local media report described as an "explosion" on Friday night at U.S. Steel's Gary Works in Northwest Indiana has not disrupted production or resulted in any injuries, that company said.

Ken Simonson, chief economist for The Associated General Contractors of America (AGC), will join SMU for a Community Chat webinar on Wednesday, April 15, at 11 a.m. ET.

The Dodge Momentum Index (DMI) increased in March, but only from a downwardly revised February reading, and data centers were the only area to show positive growth.

Ken Simonson, chief economist for The Associated General Contractors of America (AGC), will join SMU for a Community Chat webinar on Wednesday, April 15, at 11 a.m. ET.

A precipitous decline in nonbuilding starts led to an overall slowdown in total construction starts from January to February, even as the nonresidential and residential sectors showed marked improvement.

Construction spending edged down slightly in January, slipping for the first time in three months.

The American Institute of Architects (AIA) said architecture billings showed signs of stabilizing in February, with the headline index reading coming in just below 50.

The Dodge Momentum Index (DMI) pulled back in February, as planning momentum normalized after a strong second half of 2025.

Economic activity across the US increased at a light-to-modest pace in seven of the 12 Federal Reserve Districts, according to the US Federal Reserve’s latest Beige Book report.  

Over the last month, incoming macro data was encouraging but did not signal a wholesale change in trajectory from uneven expansion within industrials.

Total construction starts edged up 0.7% in January to an annualized rate of $1.24 trillion, according to Dodge Construction Network.

Companies are framing 2026 around backlog, mix and production discipline rather than a uniform market recovery.

AZZ Inc. expects steady top-line growth and improved annual earnings, capitalizing on new capacity ramp-up and strong downstream demand.

The Dodge Momentum Index (DMI) fell 6.2% in January to 272.7, retreating from December’s downwardly revised reading of 291.0, according to the latest data released by Dodge Construction Network.

Architecture firms across the US continued to face weak business conditions through the end of 2025, as economic conditions added to the uncertainty, said AIA.

The Dodge Momentum Index (DMI) increased from November to December, according to the latest data released by Dodge Construction Network (DCN). 

AZZ Inc. posted record sales in its fiscal third quarter, driven by strong hot-dip galvanizing and coil coating demand tied to infrastructure, energy transition, and data center construction.

Demand for heavy steel plate used in offshore wind farms faces renewed uncertainty after President Trump paused leases for five offshore wind projects. 

Growth remains uneven, and capital continues to concentrate. But compared to the rest of the world (RoW), the US continues to have the most stable path forward.

Worthington Steel executives emphasized on an earnings conference call on Thursday that the company’s standout fiscal Q2 performance came from capturing new automotive business, with direct automotive shipments rising 26% year over year.

Architecture firms across the United States continued to grapple with weak billings in November, amid uncertain economic conditions, according to the AIA.

The Dodge Momentum Index (DMI) decreased 1% from October to November. However, it's up 36% year-to-date from the average reading over the same period in 2024, according to the latest data released by Dodge Construction Network. 

Architecture firms reported a modest improvement in billings in October, though business conditions remained soft, according to the latest ABI report.

The Dodge Momentum Index (DMI) fell more than 7% in October, sliding for the first time in six months. Still, the index is up 35% year-to-date, according to the latest data released by Dodge Construction Network.

With infrastructure demand shifting toward digital capacity, Nucor Corp. is positioning itself as the go-to steel supplier for the data center boom.

Architecture firms reported a cut in billings through September as business conditions waned, according to the latest Architecture Billings Index (ABI) release from the American Institute of Architects (AIA) and Deltek.