Dive summary:

• In what seems to be a constant back-and-forth between upbeat economic data and sad news, the American Institute of Architects' measure of activity in August is one of the upbeat signals.
• The group's Architectural Billings Index got above 50 – to 50.2 – which means more increased than decreased billings are being reported. It had been at 48.7 in July. The South and West rose while the Northeast and Midwest stayed on the below-50 side.
• The AIA's chief economist warms against too much optimism, however, predicting the index will swing up and down "until the economy is on firmer ground."

From the article:

The AIA’s Architectural Billings Index took a nearly three-point jump in August, climbing into positive territory for the first time in five months. ...