Dodge Momentum Index Jumps in December

NEW YORK, NY  – January 19, 2017 – The Dodge Momentum Index increased 2.9% in December to 136.7 (2000=100) from its revised November reading of 132.8. The Momentum Index is a monthly measure of the first (or initial) report for nonresidential building projects in planning, which have been shown to lead construction spending for nonresidential buildings by a full year. After trending upward over the course of 2016, the Momentum Index is now at an eight-year high, although still more than 25% below its previous peak reached at the end of 2007. December’s gain was due to a 5.7% increase in the commercial component, which more than offset a 1.7% drop in the institutional component. After ending 2015 in a lull, commercial planning intentions posted remarkable strength in 2016, climbing 38% over the year. Meanwhile, institutional planning settled back in 2016, losing 6% after a strong 2015. This suggests that commercial construction activity has more room to grow in 2017 despite being at a more mature phase of its cycle, while planning in the institutional sector has yet to see the benefit of the numerous education-related bond measures passed in recent years.

In December, eight projects entered planning each with a value that exceeded $100 million. For the commercial building sector, the leading projects were a $400 million mixed-use building in Atlanta GA, that will include 640,000 square feet of office space and a hotel, and a $351 million office tower in San Francisco CA. The leading institutional projects were a $140 million renovation to the Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland OH and a $130 million high school in Sherman TX.

 RELATED Dodge Momentum Index Inches Up in November, Secretary of Labor Renews Charter of Advisory Committee on Construction Safety and Health, SPFA Adds Two New Jobsite Safety Signs , Dodge Data & Analytics: President-Elect Donald Trump Likely to Be a Plus for the Construction Industry

About Dodge Data & Analytics: Dodge Data & Analytics is a technology-driven construction project data, analytics and insights provider. Dodge provides trusted market intelligence that helps construction professionals grow their business, and is redefining and recreating the business tools and processes on which the industry relies. Dodge is creating an integrated platform that unifies and simplifies the design, bid and build process, bringing data on people, projects and products into a single hub for the entire industry, from building product manufacturers to contractors and specialty trades to architects and engineers. The company's products include Dodge Global Network, Dodge PlanRoom, Dodge PipeLine, Dodge SpecShare, Dodge BuildShare, Dodge MarketShare, and the Sweets family of products. To learn more, visit www.construction.com.