Economy: Page
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Low inflation generally is no comfort as contractors watch materials prices rise more
The construction industry cannot catch a break from recession-induced low inflation because materials prices are rising faster than that.
By Ron Gallagher • Dec. 11, 2012 -
ABC says new healthcare taxes for 2013 will be hard on contractors
The taxes – one on investment income and one for Medicare – kick in when joint filers' incomes go over $250,000.
By Ron Gallagher • Dec. 11, 2012 -
Explore the Trendline➔
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TrendlineTop 5 stories from Construction Dive
Construction Dive editors curate some of the industry’s top stories from this year.
By Construction Dive staff -
Many sectors – but not offices – look a bit brighter next year in survey of AEC firms
Building Design + Construction polled its readers about 2013's outlook and found cautious optimism.
By Ron Gallagher • Dec. 10, 2012 -
LCS Enters into JV with Nine Senior Living Communities
By Gabriel Circiog, Associate Editor Des Moines, Iowa-based LCS has entered into a joint venture with Chicago-based real estate investment firm Harrison Street Real Estate Capital that has acquired an equity position in nine senior living communities in Greater Minneapolis. The [...]
Dec. 8, 2012 -
Construction employment falls as contractors' 'cliff' worries weigh
Federal jobs numbers show construction employment is down in both residential and nonresidential sectors, and contractors are worried about taxes rising on Jan. 1.
By Ron Gallagher • Dec. 7, 2012 -
AGC puts price tag for federal fiscal stalemate at $6 billion for construction
The contractor organization figures mandatory spending cuts that will take effect next year absent any plan to delay or avoid them altogether will put 170,000 jobs at risk.
By Ron Gallagher • Dec. 7, 2012 -
Trade groups see construction economy getting better in 2013, but remaining far from best
The opinions about recovery among industry groups' economists vary, but no one is sending up skyrockets yet.
By Ron Gallagher • Dec. 6, 2012 -
Home Builders' index for improvement gains 76 more U.S. metro areas
The National Association of Home Builders tracks areas that have had at least six straight months of improvement in three indicators.
By Ron Gallagher • Dec. 6, 2012 -
Toll Brothers posts a nifty profit in fiscal year's last quarter
Even without a one-time tax benefit that steeply boosted results, net income was still more than 300% of last year's Q4.
By Ron Gallagher • Dec. 5, 2012 -
Look at Houston contractor Satterfield & Pontikes for tough-times survival tips
The firm had strategies to survive the recession, including its early embrace of technology.
By Ron Gallagher • Dec. 5, 2012 -
Gilbane economics report says residential building recovery is real
Residential should finish the year 12% above 2011 numbers, Gilbane says, and nonresidential should be up 5%.
By Ron Gallagher • Dec. 4, 2012 -
Would new city-funding mechanisms change people's decisions about where to live?
If cities could collect the cost of services from suburbanites who commute in, would the pattern of housing choices change?
By Ron Gallagher • Dec. 4, 2012 -
Green is going and growing in U.S. residential and commercial construction
A report from analysts at McGraw-Hill says green building will total $85 Billion by year's end and will hit $98 billion to $106 billion next year.
By Ron Gallagher • Dec. 3, 2012 -
All construction sectors look spiffy in October spending numbers
Not all sectors were equally good, of course, but even the long-lagging public sector eeked out a month-to-month gain.
By Ron Gallagher • Dec. 3, 2012 -
Landscape contractor rings up profits with professional holiday decorating
In New York state's Hudson Valley, the Neave family has made a major income source out of what was going to be a tide-over sideline.
By Ron Gallagher • Dec. 2, 2012 -
Economic analysis: How to turn higher GDP into bad news
Third-quarter GDP for the U.S. was revised upward by more than 50%, but now economists are worried that sucked life out of the current quarter or next year.
By Ron Gallagher • Nov. 29, 2012 -
New York contractors' group will pay a transit tax despite judge's killing it
The New York Building Congress says the city's transit system is too important for it not to chip in, even if the tax itself has been declared unconstitutional.
By Ron Gallagher • Nov. 29, 2012 -
Fighting the costs and curse of project rework
Fixing problems can run to 20% of a project's price, and contractors are tackling the problem up front.
By Ron Gallagher • Nov. 28, 2012 -
Case-Shiller finds mostly modest growth for metros in September
Atlanta saw its prices rise year-to-year for the first time in 26 months, even if the gain was 0.1%, while Phoenix saw a 20.4% spike.
By Ron Gallagher • Nov. 27, 2012 -
Analyst at CoStar says market conditions will force a jump in housing construction
The company says the current pace of building cannot meet demand, especially in the multifamily sector.
By Ron Gallagher • Nov. 27, 2012 -
Fixed-rate mortgages dive to yet lower lows in latest survey
Thirty-year and 15-year loans went to record lows last week, though adjustable-rate mortgages held steady.
By Ron Gallagher • Nov. 26, 2012 -
Fla. builder revives a custom-home program it shelved during the downturn
Lee Wetherington Homes sees a market ready for its relaunched offering of custom homes on owners' lots.
By Ron Gallagher • Nov. 26, 2012 -
Brokers, builders in the South say credit is getting in the way of demand
A survey by the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta found a region with lots of unhappy professionals.
By Ron Gallagher • Nov. 26, 2012 -
Industry predictions: Construction activity in 2013 will be, well ....
Different observers say 2013 will find business up a little, up more than a little or not up at all – and everyone warns of a big "if."
By Ron Gallagher • Nov. 21, 2012 -
In equipment, renters have been and will be doing the buying, observers say
Analysts say that modest growth in building activity this year and next year will not change contractors' reluctance to buy gear.
By Ron Gallagher • Nov. 21, 2012
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