Associated Builders and Contractors’ Construction Backlog Indicator increased to 8.8 months in July, up 0.4 months since July 2024.
Backlog is up on a year-over-year basis in every region except for the South. Despite the lack of growth, the backlog in the South remains significantly longer than in any other region.
“Backlog continued to rise in July despite the ongoing decline in construction spending,” ABC Chief Economist Anirban Basu said in a statement. “Some of that strength can be attributed to the fact that 1 in every 8 ABC members is currently under contract to perform work on a data center project.”
ABC’s Construction Confidence Index reading for sales and profit margins declined in July, while the reading for staffing levels rose to the highest level since April. The readings for all three components remain above the threshold of 50, indicating expectations for growth over the next six months.
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