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Construction Grade
Construction Grade
Hyundai could Finalize a Purchase of Doosan Infracore by Year’s End
Deal faces potential challenges from Korea’s monopoly regulations, and the fate of Doosan Bobcat is uncertain
Construction Grade
Fed Chair Jerome Powell Calls For Stimulus on the Morning Trump Flip-Flop-Flips on Negotiations
Construction Grade
House Approves Continuing Resolution that Funds Highway Bill through 2021
Construction Grade
Why Contractors Risk Getting Stuck With the Bill for the Social Security Payroll Tax Deferral
Construction Grade
Vandalism of Black Foreman’s Office Stops Work at Las Vegas Convention Center Jobsite
Construction Grade
Amazon.com on the Verge of Pouring Money into Mall Remodeling
Recommended
Construction Update
Top 10 Hottest Construction Stories this Week: Biden will Request OSHA COVID Standards
Why these are the most-read construction stories of the week: new John Deere Gators, OSHA increases civil penalties, how stopping work can help you get paid, the infrastructure spend in Biden’s economic rescue, and more
Power Trowels
Are Your Troweling Skills up to the Challenge?
The National Concrete Polishing, Education, Demonstration & Certification Tour includes the first-ever National Concrete Expo and World Trowel Challenge Championships. The tour runs from February to July.
Business
Five Key Components of a Successful Government Construction Bid
If you’re going to take the time and effort to bid for a state, local and education project, be sure to put your best foot forward.
Latest
Construction Grade
Treasury Confirms Paycheck Protection Loans Under $2M are in “Good Faith”
New Treasury Department guidance provides safe harbor for firms that received loans of less than $2 million, clarifies repayment from firms that received more and don’t meet good-faith standard
Construction Grade
House and White House Fighting for Highway Spending as Coronavirus Stimulus
Senate Republicans openly defiant about supporting citizens and states after bathing corporations in record stimulus spending
Construction Grade
Contractors Take Lion’s Share of the First Round of Paycheck Protection Loans
UPDATED April 24, 2020 -- We know more about obstacles to the smallest businesses getting these forgivable funds just in time for a second round of PPP funding coming to replenish the pot
Construction Grade
Fed Cuts Rates Half a Point to Combat Coronavirus Fear
Wall-Street selloff continues after rare inter-meeting move that slashed the federal funds rate more than any single action since the financial crisis
Equipment
Meet Some of Today's Working Construction Robots
Disappointed that our Jetsons childhood hasn't yet matured into flying cars? Take heart, construction robots working around us today are a good sign that those condos in space aren't far off
Construction Grade
Construction Lets GDP Down in Q1 2019
Real US GDP grew 3.1% in the first quarter lead by strength in finance and insurance, retail trade and health care and social assistance
Construction Grade
US GDP Growth Slowed in Q2 2019; 2018 Revised Down to 2.9%
Second quarter gross domestic product growth beat consensus forecasts but data is not encouraging. Here’s what it might mean for interest rates
Construction Grade
Economy Looks Solid; Here’s Why the Fed Plans to Risk a Rate Cut Anyway
An ‘insurance cut’ sugar high may be able to stretch the longest US recovery in history but politics tainting the decision obscure the action’s proven risk
Construction Grade
Nonresidential ‘Momentum’ Increases to 10% Below Year-Ago Level
But declining trend in planning activity for nonresidential construction has not yet impinged on actual construction spending year-to-date
Construction Grade
Chicago Contractor Establishes Modular Building ‘Factory’
Developer bets modular can cut the cost of 700 affordable apartments the Windy City requires to offset real estate dedicated to high-end Lincoln Yards housing
Construction Grade
Now Trump Won’t Deal on Infrastructure While Under Investigation
President continues to prioritize personal controversies above doing the hard work to overcome the politics of paying for the infrastructure everybody wants
Construction Grade
Trump Adds 5G Cell Networks to China-Trade Bargaining Chips
FCC license auctions focus on different bandwidths than Chinese and European innovators of 5G network infrastructure depend on
Construction Grade
What Last Week’s Real Threat of Recession Means for Construction
As the tax-cut sugar high fades, Fed downgrades 2019 GDP projection, bond yield curve inverts. How much economic slowing can construction afford?
Construction Grade
Wall-Funding Scramble Keeps Trump Construction Promise in Question
‘Reprogramming’ funds from Corps of Engineers flood control, disaster relief from CA and PR, and military infrastructure likely to draw ‘firestorm’ of legal challenges
Construction Grade
Could America’s 2018 Home-Buying Slump Precede an Economic Storm?
Home-buying's Q4 2018 plunge has analysts pointing out that significant housing declines have foreshadowed nine of the 11 post-World War II US recessions
Construction Grade
Slowing Residential Spending Expected to Stall 2019 US Construction Growth
Dodge Data forecasts virtually no growth in the value of US construction starts in 2019 at this mature segment of the recovery
Construction Grade
Trump Attacks Union Leader on Labor Day
President Trump took time from his annual celebration of US labor’s accomplishments to tweet a personal jab at AFL-CIO President Trumka
Construction Grade
Existing Home Sales Slip for 4th Month to Slowest Pace in 2 Years
July sales were 1.5% less than in July 2017. Rising prices and limited inventory of affordable houses continue to sideline buyers
Construction Grade
Reasons to Suspect the US Housing Market is Starting to Cool
Low unemployment doesn’t ensure more Americans can afford a home, and rising home prices say more about target markets than the supply of motivated buyers
Construction Grade
Housing Starts Rose Solidly over the First Quarter of 2018
Digging into the housing numbers shows a solid growth trend and underscores opportunities and challenges in US regions
Construction Grade
US Housing Starts Double Forecasts to Start 2018 Near Post-Recession High
Volatile housing numbers leap in the northeast, with added strength in the large south and west markets lifting national totals
Construction Grade
Trump Infrastructure Gambit Elevates Business Elite over Rebuilding America
Administration’s $200B flier, ostensibly to attract $1.3 trillion more in non-federal infrastructure investment, is less serious policy than it is a pledge of allegiance
Construction Grade
2017 US Construction Spending Grew 3.8% Despite Declining Public Outlays
Analysis suggests construction growth gaining momentum in the second half of 2017, and proposes reasons to expect not just solid, but spectacular 2018 follow through
Construction Grade
US Construction Spending Beats Forecasts in November
Fourth month of growth in the value of construction put in place lead again by single-family residential strength, but there was a shakeup in nonresidential construction
Construction Grade
Caterpillar Rethinks Parts Value to Take on Aftermarket Competitors
Cat’s new Yellowmark parts are market priced to reach equipment users intent on optimizing shorter-term costs rather than the long-term ROI essential to traditional Cat value
Profit Matters
Caterpillar Autonomous Haul Trucks Point To Construction’s Future
Minestar Command intentionally pushes decision making to the computers onboard unmanned trucks to make their interactions on the site safer
Construction Grade
Some Hard Realities Guard the US from Real Tax Reform
Raising the federal debt ceiling and passing a budget are Congressional priorities that will precede tax reform, an issue as politically challenging as health care reform
Construction Grade
Zoning Wouldn’t Have Saved Houston From Harvey; Less Sprawl Would Have Helped
Pro-business dis-regulation magnified Houston flood devastation for a third year in a row, and will again if Harris County won’t match development with flood control
Construction Grade
Second Quarter US GDP Bounce Back to Trend Despite Housing Shrinkage
Residential fixed investment fell steeply following impressive Q1 growth, but business investment in plant and equipment continues to grow as inventories stabilize
Construction Grade
Fed Skips Rate Hike, Plans Balance-Sheet Selloff
July meeting of the Federal Open Market Committee signals confidence in US economy, but weak inflation despite job growth enforces wait-and-see posture