Will Contractors Celebrate a Sweet '16?

摘要

Construction activity has accelerated through much of 2015. Large numbers of recent project announcements and other indicators suggest many contractors will enter 2016 with ample backlogs. But there are also worries about worker availability, government gridlock, and impacts on specific regions and project types from the oil price slump and international economic weakness. Construction spending in July jumped nearly 14 percent from a year earlier to $1.08 trillion, the fastest growth since 2006 and the highest level since 2008. The growth rate has accelerated steadily since last winter, when harsh weather and sluggish economic growth temporarily slowed construction.