AGC's Data DIGest: April 29 – May 03, 2013
Construction jobs, spending shrink in latest month but rise for year; metros vary widely
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View construction employment figures by state and rank.
Nonfarm payroll employment increased by 165,000, seasonally adjusted, in April and 2,077,000 (1.6%) over 12 months, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. The March gain, initially reported as a weak 88,000, was revised up to 138,000. The unemployment rate was 7.1%, not seasonally adjusted (7.5%, seasonally adjusted), down from 7.7% a year earlier. Construction employment dipped by 6,000 for the month, following 10 consecutive monthly increases, and totaled 5,790,000, seasonally adjusted, a gain of 154,000 (2.7%) over the past year. Total hours worked in construction increased by 3.0% over 12 months, implying that contractors are lengthening working hours and also hiring new workers. [node:read-more:link]