Analyze This, December 2009

-14%

Percentage drop in construction spending ($911 billion seasonally adjusted annual rate) in October 2009 compared to the previous year. This figure was virtually unchanged from the revised September total, which had an exceptionally large downward revision of $30 billion (3.2%) — taking construction spending to its lowest total since 2002.

Source: Associated General Contractors of America and the Census Bureau

50%

Percentage increase in the share of domestically manufactured wind turbine components installed in the United States in 2008, which is up from less than 30% in 2005.

Source: American Wind Energy Association

41.7

The Architecture Billings Index (ABI) rating, as measured in August. This figure was down slightly from the 43.1 mark in July (any score above 50 indicates an increase in billings). Despite the occasional cause for optimism, AIA Chief Economist Kermit Baker says the “overwhelming majority of architects are reporting that banks are extremely reluctant to provide financing for projects, and that new equity requirements and conservative appraisals are making it even more difficult for developers to get loans.”

Source: The American Institute of Architects

70.1%

Percentage of all new and existing homes sold in the third quarter of 2009 that were deemed affordable to families earning the national median income of $64,000, according to the National Association of Home Builders/Wells Fargo Housing Opportunity Index (HOI) released in late November. This is down slightly from a near-record 72.3% during the previous quarter and up from 56.1% during the third quarter of 2008. This trend toward nationwide housing affordability has been bolstered by affordable interest rates and low house prices.

Source: National Association of Home Builders

-7%

Percentage decrease in the rate and number of nonfatal occupational injuries and illnesses requiring days away from work in private industry from 2007 to 2008, as reported by the BLS “Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses” in late November. The rate decreased to 113 per 10,000 full-time workers and the number of cases decreased by 80,730. There were 1.1 million cases requiring days away from work in private industry out of 3.7 million total recordable cases.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics