Concrete & Masonry Contractors NAICS 238110, 238140

Jan 6, 2026 - Architectural Billings Decline

• Demand for building design services declined in November from the prior month, marking the thirteenth consecutive month of weak architectural billings, according to a December report by the American Institute of Architects (AIA). The AIA’s Architecture Billing Index (ABI) fell to 45.3 compared to October's reading of 47.6. Any reading of 50 or more indicates growth in architectural billings. The score for new project inquiries fell to 51.4 in November from 54.8 in October, and the new design contracts index dropped to 42.7 from 47.1. The AIA’s Chief Economist, Kermit Baker said, "Weakness in business conditions at architecture firms continues to be widespread, with declining billings across all major specializations and in every region except the Midwest. However, inquiries for new projects continued to increase, and design activity at firms in the Midwest – a region that traditionally has had a disproportionate share of manufacturing activity – appears to have hit its bottom for this cycle and is expected to continue to improve."
• Commercial construction is being reshaped by the AI-driven surge in data center development, which is on track to overtake office construction as demand for computing power accelerates, according to The Wall Street Journal. Investors are pouring money into these projects because data centers delivered industry leading returns in 2024, and hyperscalers such as Meta, Amazon and Oracle are increasingly leasing space rather than building it themselves. JLL forecasts up to $1 trillion in North American data center construction between 2025 and 2030, but the boom brings new risks for builders and developers. Projects face labor shortages, tariff strained supply chains and power access challenges that can trigger costly lease penalties or cancellations. As commercial real estate shifts away from offices and toward AI infrastructure, construction firms are more exposed to a single, technically demanding asset class whose performance hinges on the stability of the AI sector.

• Home builder confidence in the single-family market increased in December but remained solidly in negative territory as builders face ongoing headwinds, including high construction costs, tariffs, and economic uncertainty, according to the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB). Home builder sentiment, as measured by the NAHB/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index (HMI), rose one point to 39 in December 2025. Any HMI reading over 50 indicates that more builders see conditions as good than poor. Builder confidence readings remained below 50 for every month in 2025 and were in the high 30s in the fourth quarter. The HMI survey also showed that 40% of builders reduced home prices in December to lure potential buyers off the sidelines, and the average price reduction was 5%, down one percentage point from November.
• Walmart and other retailers will partner with 3D-printing firm Alquist to deliver more than a dozen construction projects across the US, marking a shift from pilot programs to full-scale commercialization of 3D concrete printing, according to Construction Dive. To meet demand, Alquist will collaborate with contractor FMGI and equipment rental dealer Hugg & Hall, with FMGI leasing Alquist’s A1X printers to execute large-scale projects nationwide. The first job under this model begins in December at Walmart’s Lamar, Missouri, location, following earlier store expansions in Tennessee and Alabama. Alquist’s robotic systems promise faster mobilization, cleaner sites, and consistent quality, while FMGI says AI-trained robots can operate around the clock with minimal human oversight. The partnership highlights growing confidence in 3D printing as a sustainable, efficient alternative to traditional construction methods, potentially transforming how retailers and contractors approach large-scale building projects.