Dive Brief:

• In May, architects reported that they were working more than in April and were getting more calls about future work.
• The Architectural Billings Index, compiled by the American Institute of Architects, turned positive, posting 52.6 compared with 49.6 in April.
• The component of the index that covers inquiries about new projects had been positive in April, but rose from 59.1 in April to 63.2 last month.

Dive Insight:

The billings index is usually described a a leading indicator for construction activity in the coming year, but that is a reputation earned before this economy. During the irregular recovery, it has been as up and down as construction starts, so the good report from May is followed by an "and then?" just like so many reports before it.