The two principal indicators of construction activity this week signaled an industry treading water. Today the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that payroll employment, seasonally adjusted, fell by 43,000 in September after an upwardly revised rise in August of 107,000 (reported a month ago as 39,000). Construction employment, at 6,552,000, was down 1,000 from the (unrevised) August figure and down 122,000 from September 2001. Of BLS's three construction segments, general building contractors employed 1,469,000 in September (up 7,000 or 0.5% from September 2001); heavy construction, except building, employed 895,000 (down 29,000 or 3%); and special trade contractors employed 4,188,000 (down 100,000 or 2%). Construction workers' average hourly earnings rose over the year by 3%, from $18.51 to $19.06, but average weekly earnings climbed by only 2.2% as average weekly hours slipped.
The Census Bureau reported Tuesday that the value of construction put in place in August totaled $830 billion at a seasonally adjusted annual rate. That was 0.4% below the July total and 1.1% below the number for August 2001. Compared to August 2001, construction of residential buildings (including improvements to existing houses) was up by 4%; nonresidential building construction was off by 19%; and public construction was up by 8%.