U.S. construction industry leaders remain upbeat regarding nonresidential construction’s near-term prospects in May 2019, according to the Construction Confidence Index released mid-July by Associated Builders and Contractors.

While contractors were slightly less upbeat regarding profit margins and staffing levels compared to April, all three principal components measured by the survey—sales, profit margins, and staffing levels—remain well above the diffusion index threshold of 50 in May. Nearly 73 percent of contractors expect sales to rise during the next 6 months and 68 percent expect staffing levels to increase further. For more, visit www.abc.org