construction
Homebuilders Losing Faith as Tax Credit Ends
The U.S. real estate market recorded another setback in July: The National Association of Home Builders reported that its Housing Market Index fell to 14 from 16 in June, with builder confidence waning and sales dipping after the expiration of the federal home-buyers tax credit.
Mortgage Loan Applications Rise on Refinance Demand
Applications for mortgage loans jumped last week, as homeowners took advantage of historically low rates to refinance their homes. In the week ending July 2, the total number of applications for loans rose 6.7 % on a seasonally adjusted basis from a week earlier.
The 'Mancession' Ebbs as Recovery Revives Male Hiring
The Great Recession had a disproportionately high impact on male unemployment. But now, the tentative recovery is driving job gains in areas like construction and financial services, helping male hiring regain lost ground -- some good news for Father's Day.
Housing Construction Hits 16-Month High
Housing starts rose 1.6% in March, the Commerce Department said, but the real surprise in the report was the revision in February's housing start data, to a 1.1% rise from a 5.9% drop -- a change that suggests starts are stabilizing.
Manufacturing Sector Jumps, But Construction Stumbles
Two economic indicators offered mixed signals in reports released on Thursday, with the manufacturing sector posting a stronger than expected performance, but construction spending lagging behind forecasts.
Housing Starts in U.S. Rise in January
More progress in the U.S. housing sector, as housing starts rose 2.8% in January to a 591,000 seasonally adjusted annual pace, the U.S. Commerce Department announced Wednesday. That marked the strongest housing start pace since July.
Books@DailyFinance: Atul Gawande's Simple Fix for Business Distractions
"The Checklist Manifesto," a new book by surgeon and New Yorker writer Atul Gawande, contends that the simple checklist has become indispensable throughout the world of increasingly complex work -- and it should not be underestimated or dismissed, even by experts.
These Days, Green Drywall Is Sexy in Silicon Valley
Serious Materials is a green construction materials company that has raised more than $60 million in venture capital, thanks to innovative products like its EcoRock sheetrock, which is made with less than one-fifth the energy used to create standard drywall.
The Future of Putting Green to Work in Buildings
By many measures, Webcor Builers is the greenest general contractor of any significant size on the planet, and a key player in the green building technology ecosystem. In an interview, Phil Williams, Webcor's vice president of sustainability and systems engineering, talks about what makes buildings green and where the biggest improvements can be made -- in both existing and new buildings -- as the field develops.
Housing Starts Rebound in November
Housing starts rose 8.9 percent in November to a 574,000 seasonally adjusted annual pace, the U.S. Commerce Department announced. Economists surveyed by Bloomberg News had expected housing starts to total a slightly higher 575,000 annualized rate for the month.
