Construction Picks Up Across U.S.

Construction employment saw slight gains in 26 states and the District of Columbia between February and March 2010, according to the Associated General Contractors of America (AGC) analysis of Bureau of Labor Statistics data. Two states saw no change and 22 states experienced declines in construction employment over the last month. Over the year, only two states experienced increases in construction employment.

AGC chief economist Ken Simonson said it’s too early to tell if the gains in 26 states and D.C. are a result of better weather or a trend towards recovery. “Even assuming the numbers are heading in the right direction, it is a long climb just to get back to normal for the construction industry,” said Simonson.